A male suspect who was handcuffed in the back of police vehicle allegedly managed to get around to the front seat and race off in the cruiser Friday morning.
The vehicle crashed into a concrete fence when the driver was attempting to flee down a back lane in the 1200 block of Alexander Avenue, said police.
Officers had been patrolling down a back lane when they spotted a man engaged in a sex act in a vehicle with a female sex trade worker around 9 a.m. Police also said there were signs of intoxicants.
They arrested the man and put him in the back of a cruiser car in handcuffs but he managed to work his way into the front of the car.
"He was able to squirm his way through the handcuffs to actually have them in front of him," said Const. Jacqueline Chaput.
The police cruiser did not have a shield between the seats and the suspect was able to get to the front seat while officers were outside the vehicle dealing with the woman.
The suspect started to speed off but one of the officers noticed what was going on and jumped into the passenger seat.
With the officer struggling with the suspect, the driver lost control and smashed into a concrete fence.
People living in the area said speeds reached by the vehicle appeared dangerous.
"If I would've pulled out my back lane at the time…I think pretty severe damage would happen and with kids and all that it's pretty fearful," said Kiran Deshmukh, who lives nearby.
The suspect, a man from Alberta, was taken to hospital in stable condition after the vehicle crashed into the concrete fence, said officers.
A police officer also suffered injuries to his leg and hand and was treated in hospital.
The central traffic unit continues to investigate.
Officers told CTV News it's rare but not impossible for suspects with their hands cuffed behind their back to slip their hands around to the front.
- with a report from CTV's Kelly Dehn
