A Chatham-Kent OPP provincial constable may be lucky to have walked away with only minor injuries caused when his police vehicle rolled several times and crashed north of Chatham Monday night.
Chatham-Kent OPP Const. Janine Belanger said an OPP officer on patrol had turned around to follow a vehicle when it approached him at a high rate of speed and entered the officer's lane of travel on Park Avenue in Chatham just after 9 p.m.
"The officer followed the vehicle in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop," Belanger stated in a news release.
At some point the pursuit continued in a northerly direction, but Belanger didn't know the route taken, when contacted by The Daily News.
The suspect vehicle eventually turned left onto Pioneer Line.
Moments later the officer's Ford Explorer left the roadway, rolled several times and came to rest in a nearby field, Belanger said.
The officer was transported to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released.
Belanger said the vehicle being followed continued to head west along Pioneer Line.
Because of the location of the crash, the Chatham-Kent Police Service was called to investigate, Insp. Ed Reed said.
"The Chatham-Kent Police Service became aware of a departmental accident involving the OPP during one of their investigations and we have an on-going investigation into the accident," Reed told The Daily News.
"They (OPP) have an on-going investigation into what led to the accident," he added.
Chatham-Kent police would like to speak to any witness of the collision.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Steve Kloostra
atstevek@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600 ext. 82934 or Crime Stoppers.
The OPP Ford Explorer was destroyed in the crash.
"It goes to show the value of seatbelts and air bags," Belanger said.
"We're very happy he's OK."
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2015/02/ ... estigation