(HURON EAST, ON) – Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged a 29-year-old female from Kitchener with several criminal charges following an early morning chase that started in Brussels this past weekend. Just before 4:30 a.m. on March 5, 2016 a Sports Park Drive resident was awakened to the sound of his truck engine running in the driveway. He took a look out the window and watched as the thief took off in his truck, a Dodge Ram pickup. The owner immediately took after the thief following in a second vehicle. The victim called police and continued to follow after the suspect vehicle.
Huron County OPP officers ultimately located the stolen truck in Seaforth at the intersection of Centennial Drive and Alexander Street. The driver of the stolen pickup then entered onto Silver Creek Crescent, a dead end cul-de-sac. At this point the driver of the pickup drove across a residential lawn and rammed the pickup truck directly into the passenger side of the OPP Chevrolet Tahoe in an last ditch attempt to getaway. A second police vehicle immediately positioned in behind the pickup truck preventing it from reversing. The driver was then immediately taken into police custody.
The police officer was not injured in the collision however the police vehicle sustained heavy damage. Upon identifying the female driver officers determined she had outstanding warrants from Waterloo Regional Police Service and she was currently serving a probation sentence. Upon searching the stolen vehicle officers located two stolen wallets that contained identification and securities; they had been stolen from an unlocked vehicle that was parked on Flora Street in Brussels.
As a result of the police investigation, 29-year-old Chantel MANSZ-GAYOWSKY has been charged with the following 12 offences:
Theft of Motor Vehicle
Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
Fail to Comply with Probation Order (5) Counts
Mischief Over $5,000
Assault a Peace Officer with a Weapon
Possession of Stolen Property Under $5,000 (3) Counts
The accused remains in custody with a video court appearance scheduled for March 8, 2016 at the Ontario Court of Justice.