In the battle between horses and Rams, the equines take this victory
- Police in Toronto combined mechanical and actual horsepower to take down a car thief.
- Officers ultimately arrested two people after boxing in a Ram 1500 pickup truck.
- The driver now faces multiple charges, including assault and endangering public safety.
Police have to approach their job in various ways every day and they have to think fast. That’s exactly what authorities in Toronto, Canada did after spotting an allegedly stolen truck. Not only did they surround the Ram pickup, but they did so using mounted police. Now, two suspects are in jail and facing a number of charges.
The first lead in the case came from an automatic license plate reader, which flagged the Ram as a stolen vehicle. Mounted officers were the first to attempt an interception, but the driver, later identified as 33-year-old Johnathan Desrosiers, reportedly escalated the encounter by ramming one of the police horses and then crashing into two police vehicles before attempting a hasty getaway.
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As he tried to exit the area another way, more officers showed up and he drove the truck into a local business. Authorities chased one suspect down the road and arrested a second suspect in the Ram itself. Both the horse and the officer hit by the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Video shows the frantic situation as the driver attempts to find a way out. Ultimately, they fail to control the RAM as it slams into a business called Little Burgundy.
Desrosiers is now up against charges including “injuring certain animals, dangerous operation of a vehicle, common nuisance/endangering lives or safety of the public, two counts of mischief/damage property over $5,000, and four counts of an assault on a peace officer with a weapon,” according to the National Post.
The passenger in the vehicle, a woman named Cedar Nicholas, is facing two charges including theft of a motor vehicle and possession of property obtained by a crime over $5,000. Each one was out on bail when the incident happened. Toronto police are hoping that anyone with video evidence of the crime will come forward to assist in the investigation. Individuals can also submit information or evidence anonymously at 416-222-8477.