(TOWNSHIP OF PERTH EAST, ON) On Wednesday March 19, 2014, shortly before 5 p.m., Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer observed a suspicious car leaving a rural residence along Road 145, north-west of Sebringville.
The car travelled south bound on Road 145 to Hwy 8, where a stopped OPP cruiser signaled for the car to stop. The driver of the car refused to stop and sped up as it attempted to drive around the marked cruiser. The car struck the front of the cruiser, bounced onto a snowbank and became hung up. The male driver ran from the car and was arrested by police after a short foot chase.
Further investigation revealed that the car, a Buick Lesabre had been taken without permission from a Huron County residence. Stolen property was located inside the vehicle and the driver was found to be in possession of cocaine.
Michael MCLAUGHLIN (30) of no fixed address has been charged with 3 counts of “possession of stolen property under $5,000â€Â, “drive disqualifiedâ€Â, “dangerous operation of a motor vehicleâ€Â, “flight while pursued by a police officerâ€Â, and “take motor vehicle without owners consentâ€Â, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada. He has also been charged with “possession of a schedule I substance – cocaine†contrary to the controlled drugs and substances act of Canada. He is appearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford on Thursday March 20, 2014, for a bail hearing.