A male youth has been charged after fleeing police Saturday morning in Dartmouth.

At 1:06 a.m. on May 14, police attempted to stop an SUV that was driving without its headlights on, travelling at a high rate of speed and weaving back and forth on the roadway. The officer stopped the SUV off of Highway 111 going onto Woodland Avenue. As the officer approached the vehicle it sped off at a high rate of speed towards Victoria Road. The SUV made a right-hand turn onto Victoria Road but was travelling too fast causing it to drive up onto the lawn of a church and then hit a tree. The officer pulled in behind the SUV with emergency equipment activated. The driver backed into the police car, pulled forward again hitting the tree and then again reversing hitting the police car. The officer pulled his car ahead further, preventing the SUV from moving.

The driver of the vehicle, 17-year-old male youth of Dartmouth, was arrested at the scene without further incident. It was determined that the male had taken the vehicle, which sustained extensive damage as a result of this incident, without permission.

The male youth will appear in Halifax Provincial Youth Court on June 2, 2016 to face charges of theft of motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, assault with a weapon (by backing into the police car) and two counts of mischief.

Source: Media Release