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Car thief leads police on wild ride

SWAT team deploys "less-lethal impact munition" to stop suspect.

REGINA – A car chase that led to a foot chase saw police utilize the SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Team in the apprehension of a 32-year-old Regina man on Monday.

It all began as an investigation into a stolen vehicle on April 3, including the successful deployment of a spike belt, causing the vehicle in question to come to a stop in the 400 block of Rink Avenue.

“The driver was not compliant with repeated police commands to exit the vehicle,” RPS said in a media release. “Additional patrol units and School Resource Officers set up a perimeter in the area, traffic was blocked off, and nearby elementary schools were put into secure-the-building mode.”

Police on scene called for the SWAT and CNT teams to attend, which prompted the man into action once again.

“As SWAT arrived, the suspect vehicle began driving again, travelling eastbound on Rink Avenue,” said RPS. “A police vehicle made contact with the suspect vehicle and the driver of the suspect vehicle continued to travel towards the police perimeter. The suspect vehicle struck a police vehicle that was holding the perimeter.”

The suspect kept driving along Rink Avenue, crossing McCarthy Boulevard, eventually losing control in the 200 block of Rink Avenue. That’s when the man driving took off on foot.

“Due to the close proximity to schools in the area, and potential threat to the public, SWAT officers deployed a less-lethal impact munition,” RPS said.

By 11:50 a.m., the suspect had been taken into custody.

Julius Jack Lerat was charged with four counts failure to comply with conditions of a release order; two counts possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000; and single counts dangerous operation of a conveyance, failure to stop after and accident, flight from peace officer, assault peace officer, resist arrest, impaired operation, theft of a motor vehicles nd theft under $5,000.

He will make his first appearance in Provincial Court on these charges this morning.

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