(LEAMINGTON, ON) – Essex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has arrested one individual following several incidents that spanned Essex, Lambton, Huron, and Perth counties on March 18, 2026. OPP officers from all four counties were engaged, along with OPP Aviation Services, West Region OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), and West Region OPP K-9.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Essex County (Leamington) OPP were notified of a threat’s investigation involving a male suspect. It was determined that the male was driving a minivan towards Huron County on Bluewater Highway.
Huron OPP officers converged to the Bayfield area, where the suspect vehicle was located, abandoned just south of Bayfield.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect had forcibly entered a residence nearby and demanded car keys from the homeowner. The suspect then fled towards Bayfield in the stolen sedan, continued east to Clinton, Seaforth, and Dublin, where multiple officers attempted to stop the vehicle utilizing Tire Deflation Devices (TDD), without success.
The suspect was monitored by OPP helicopter, in addition to ground officers as the vehicle entered back into Huron County.
Huron OPP officers located the suspect vehicle travelling southbound on Base Line in the Municipality of Central Huron, where they were able to safely stop the vehicle. The lone suspect fled the vehicle, but was quickly apprehended by police.
Jawad Hassan SKIENEH, 34-year-old from Leamington is charged with the following Criminal Code offences:
- Personating Peace Officer
- Robbery using Firearm (Restricted or Prohibited) – x 2
- Uttering Threats – Cause Death or Bodily Harm – x 5
- Danger Operation – x 3
- Careless Use of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition – x 3
- Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Assault with a Weapon
- Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was a prohibited device or ammunition – x 2
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose – x 3
- Flight from Peace Officer
- Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was a prohibited or restricted weapon – x 2
- Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000
- Possession Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose – x 3
- Careless Use of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition – x 3
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Break, Enter dwellling house – commit indictable offence
As a precaution, the suspect was taken to a local hospital for medical assessment. The officers involved were not injured. Damage was sustained to one OPP police vehicle and the stolen vehicle.