A 40-year-old man is facing a long list of charges after he allegedly led police on a brief chase while operating a stolen van in Oshawa and then attempted to steal a cruiser during the course of a subsequent foot chase.
Police say that officers were initially dispatched to the area of Bloor Street and Grandview Street at around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday for a report of stolen van. They say that officers located the vehicle and attempted to pull it over; however the driver failed to stop and struck one of the pursuing vehicles.
At that point, the chase was discontinued for safety reasons but police were contacted a short time later when the suspect vehicle was observed parked in a driveway on Langstaff Road.
Police say that officers attended that scene and got into a foot chase with the suspect.
The suspect shoved one of the officers into a ditch during that foot chase and then attempted to flee in a cruiser, police say.
He was, however, arrested at the scene.
Police say that officers then discovered a small fire inside the stolen vehicle but were able to quickly extinguish it.
Police also located several articles of identification believed to have been stolen in the general vicinity.
Police are asking any residents in the areas of Grandview Street South and Olive Avenue, Grandview Street South and Bloor Street East and Townline Road South and Bloor Street East to review their surveillance footage for any suspicious activity on their property between the night of Aug. 13 and the morning of Aug. 14.
Adam Engst, 40, of Toronto, is facing 10 charges, including flight from a police officer, assault with intent to resist arrest and theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000.
He has been held for a bail hearing.
