Three police cars damaged during early-morning traffic stop

Three Saskatoon Police Service patrol cars were damaged early Tuesday after a suspect allegedly tried to smash his way out of an arrest.

In a media release, police said the incident happened at about 2:15 a.m., after officers saw a suspicious car in the area of Avenue P South and 22nd Street West.

Officers tried to stop the car, but the driver took off. The Air Support Unit saw the vehicle being driven erratically into the downtown and it finally stopped in the 700 block of Third Avenue North.

The driver and passenger got out of the car, but got back in when officers arrived. Police allege the driver then hit three patrol cars and nearly hit several officers who had got out of their vehicles.

The two people in the car got out at Second Avenue North and Princess Street and ran, but were arrested in the area of First Avenue North and King Street. There weren’t any injuries reported.

Police found a machete, a knife, two cans of bear spray, 60 grams of methamphetamine, scales, drug packaging and cellphones inside the car.

A 28-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both from Prince Albert, were each charged with four counts of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count each of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and breach of release.

The man also was charged with three counts each of assault with a weapon and failing to stop after an accident, two counts of impaired driving-related offences, and one count each of dangerous driving and evading police.