Man Arrested After High-Speed Chase on Trans-Canada Highway in Western N.B.

A 32-year-old Ontario man faces numerous charges including theft and assault following a police pursuit on the Trans-Canada Highway through several communities in western New Brunswick.

RCMP say an officer attempted to pull over a speeding pickup truck on Highway 2 near Saint-André at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16th. The driver failed to stop and fled the scene, approaching speeds of 200 kilometres per hour, according to Sgt. Brendan Flewelling of the West District RCMP.

A short time later, the speeding truck sheared off a side mirror of another RCMP vehicle that was pulled over on the side of the highway to attend an unrelated motor vehicle collision. No one was injured, Flewelling said.

As several RCMP detachments responded, police say they received numerous other calls of incidents between Grand Falls and Perth Andover involving the same vehicle and driver. These included other hit and run incidents along the highway, as well as two attempted car thefts and an assault, Flewelling said.

Police say the driver abandoned the pickup truck and stole a car from a residence, allegedly attacking the owner before speeding off in the vehicle.

Near Perth-Andover, police were able to stop the car for a brief moment. The driver then reportedly attacked a police officer with mace before fleeing again. Shortly afterwards, police again tried to intercept the car, but the driver collided with a police vehicle, narrowly missing a police officer before speeding away.

Police finally  intercepted and immobilized the stolen car on Route 130 in Bairdsville around 5:45 p.m. RCMP said a search of the vehicle at the scene led to the seizure of what is believed to be crystal methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia.

Two members of the public and a police officer were treated in hospital and released. Police say 32-year-old Ryan Jacob Robert Amaral of Elora, Ontario was also transported to hospital. Following his release from medical care, he was taken into police custody. .

Amaral appeared in Woodstock Provincial Court on Monday and was charged with flight from a police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, driving while prohibited, assault with a weapon, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, assault on police officer with a weapon/causing bodily harm, possession of property obtained by crime less than $5,000, failure to comply with a release order, three counts of failure to comply with release order conditions, possession of a weapon contrary to an order and damage to property over $5,000.

Amaral was remanded into custody pending a bail hearing on Monday, March 28.