Spike belts end high speed pursuit

The use of spike belts helped bring to an end a wild high speed pursuit in Swift Current early Thursday morning.

A 26-year-old Herbert resident is in hospital with non life threatening injuries with a gunshot to the chest after being fired upon after the pickup driver reportedly attempted to run over one of the RCMP members who had exited his police vehicle.

Swift Current RCMP Traffic Services were involved in the pursuit starting at 12:30 a.m. An RCMP member attempted to stop the truck for a Traffic Safety Act offence, but the motorist fled the city, heading north on #4 Highway. The vehicle left the highway, entering a field. It then went back onto to #4 Highway and returned to Swift Current. Due to public safety concerns, the pursuit was halted.

However, a short while later the vehicle was observed leaving the city traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of #1 Highway. RCMP reinitiated the pursuit, with speeds reaching 160 to 170 kilometres per hour as the vehicle traveled to Herbert. At Herbert, the driver of the vehicle again headed westbound towards Swift Current along the TransCanada Highway.

The pick-up ran over a pair of spike belts just outside the city, but despite severe damage to the tires the vehicle continued traveling into the city.

It was at this time the pick-up driver was fired upon by RCMP after attempting to run over one of the RCMP members who had exited his police vehicle.

The suspect was treated by EMS at the scene and transported to the Cypress Regional Hospital.

A portion of the eastbound lanes of the TransCanada Highway are currently closed while RCMP Major Crimes and the Regina RCMP Forensic Identification Unit investigate the scene. A provincially appointed independent investigator will also be investigating the incident, pursuant to the Saskatchewan Police Act.