A 35-year-old Belleville man is facing a number of charges following an investigation into a carjacking and motor vehicle collision Saturday evening.
The ordeal began in the municipal parking lot behind the stores along Front Street in downtown Belleville around 7:30 p.m. when a couple standing outside their vehicle was approached by an unknown male. The male approached, pulled out a knife and stole their pickup truck.
The vehicle reportedly left the area at a high rate of speed and was last observed driving north on North Front Street.
While driving north on the railway overpass, the driver of the stolen pickup truck crossed the centre line, collided head-on with another vehicle and flipped.
The driver of the pickup attempted to run from the scene, but was arrested by a responding officer following a brief foot chase. He was taken to Belleville hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The male driver of the other vehicle was taken to Kingston hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while a 13-year-old female passenger in his vehicle was taken to Belleville hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The 35-year-old Belleville man driving the pickup truck was charged with the following criminal charges:
• Two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm;
• Driving while prohibited;
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
• Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order;
• Robbery with a weapon;
• Theft of a motor vehicle.
In addition, he was also charged with the following Highway Traffic Act offences:
• driving while under suspension;
• drive left of centre approaching a crest in a hill.
He was held for a video remand on Sunday.
The roadway, meanwhile, was closed for several hours as members of the Traffic Safety Unit and the Forensic Investigations Unit processed the scene.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, crash or may have dashboard camera footage is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
