The Chatham-Kent police have arrested a man for impaired driving following an early morning pursuit.
Around 2:40 a.m. an officer observed a man driving a vehicle at excessive speed eastbound on Richmond Street in Chatham. The officer believed the man may be impaired so he initiated a traffic stop on Queen Street near Wellington Street. The driver stopped however as the officer approached the vehicle he sped away. Police pursued the man on King Street and observed the man fail to stop for a red light and stop sign. Police attempted to stop the man again on Longwoods Road. At this time, the man drove his vehicle into the driver’s door of a police cruiser causing himself to lose control. The man’s vehicle came to rest in a nearby field where he was arrested. The man was intoxicated and uncooperative with officers. He was transported to police headquarters for breath tests where he refused to provide a sample.
No one was injured. The man’s vehicle sustained approximately $10,000 damage. The police cruiser sustained about $5000 damage. A 28-year-old St. Mary’s man has been charged with failing to stop for police, impaired driving, refusing to provide a sample of his breath and dangerous driving. He has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.