(HURON EAST, ON) – A Huron East man and a Bruce County resident are facing a pile of charges following a late night police chase that involved officers from both the Huron County and Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Detachments.
At approximately 12:05 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Huron County OPP officers observed a sedan travelling eastbound on Hyrdo Line Road without a front licence plate. Additionally, the driver also failed to lower their high beams as it approached the police vehicle. As the police vehicle turned around the suspect driver immediately accelerated away. Officers then followed at a distance and waited until they had some back up units in the area.
A traffic stop was then attempted on Perth Line 34 however the driver failed to stop and took off towards Dublin. Shortly thereafter police utilized a spike belt on the suspect vehicle however to no avail the accused continued driving on bare rims toward Seaforth. The accused then sideswiped a police car in the chase and it wasn’t until just outside of Seaforth before police were able to get the suspect vehicle safely stopped.
Upon stopping the vehicle the driver resisted arrest, which resulted in police utilizing a conducted energy weapon to effect the arrest. A search incident to arrest resulted in police locating stolen property in the vehicle consisting of various pieces of identification and a licence plate.
The 22-year-old driver, Colton GOWAN, from Huron East has been charged with the following criminal offences:
Flight from Peace Officer
Dangerous Operation
Assault a Peace Officer with a Weapon
Resist a Peace Officer
Operation While Prohibited (4 counts)
Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
Fail to Comply with Probation Order (2 counts)
Possession of Counterfeit Money
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 (4 counts)
In addition, he is also facing four Highway Traffic Act offences.
He remains in custody with a court appearance scheduled for April 24, 2020 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.
The passenger, 23-year-old Raven PELKEY-LAUGHING, from Arran-Elderslie has been charged with the following offences:
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 (4 counts)
Resist Peace Officer
Fail to Comply with Probation Order
She has since been released from custody with a court date scheduled for June 22, 2020 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.