Manitoba’s police watchdog investigating after 2 men thrown from box of stolen truck

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Peggy

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba is investigating an incident involving a stolen truck that collided with a Winnipeg police vehicle and resulted in two men sustaining serious injuries.

The owner of the truck spotted two youths stealing his Ford F-150 on Dudley Avenue, between Lilac and Stafford streets, around 7:45 p.m. Saturday when he and his friend entered the truck’s box and called 911, according to the IIU release on Monday.

With the two men still inside the back of the truck, the two suspects drove off at a high speed. They tried to disembark from the truck but were unsuccessful due to the erratic driving of the suspects.

Police soon converged on the area and deployed a tire deflation device as the stolen truck drove westbound down the back lane on Brandon Avenue and onto Osborne Street, striking a police vehicle, the release said.

The force of the collision threw the two men who were in the truck’s box from the vehicle and resulted in both men being seriously hurt and taken to the Health Sciences Centre.

The owner of the truck suffered numerous fractures including the clavicle, skull and spine.

According to a police release on Monday, the police vehicle struck was a canine unit. The officer was treated for injuries and released from hospital. The police dog was not hurt.

Both suspects were arrested near the collision, and both sustained non-serious injuries. They were both treated for minor injuries and released from hospital.

A 15-year-old girl faces one charge of theft over $5,000, while a 17-year-old boy faces 10 charges, including two counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance and two counts of causing bodily harm by criminal negligence.

Witnesses are asked to contact the police watchdog at 1-844-667-6060 with information or video footage of the incident.