Calgary man faces 27 charges after hours-long driving spree at speeds up to 180 km/h

A man is facing 27 charges after leadingCalgarypolice on an hours-long driving spreewhere he clockedspeeds up to 180 km/h.

The incident occurredafter the man assaulted a woman and took off with her in a stolen vehicle, police said in a release Wednesday.

Police were called to 26th Avenue N.E. and 52nd Street just after midnight Tuesday after receiving reports a man had assaulted a woman.

The man and woman got into a white Jeep Cherokee and starteddriving northbound in a southbound lane of 52nd Street, Police say the vehicle nearly struck the officers who responded to the scene.

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The Jeep had been reported stolen from Leduc in June.

Police say the driver drove into oncoming traffic for hours, running red lights and reaching speeds of up to 180 km/h.

Police responded with a helicopter and dog teamsover the course of the chase.

The Jeep stopped at a downtown casino around 2 a.m. before heading south on Macleod Trail driving on barerims atspeeds ofaround 140 km/h.

The suspect lost control of the vehicle and it slammed into a sushi restaurant. The woman was trapped inside the Jeep. She was extricated and taken to hospital where she was inserious but stable condition.

Police say the man fled on foot. He was arrested after he was tracked by police dogs.

Police say the suspect stole merchandise from Market Mall on June 24th using pepper spray during his escapeand stole a vehicle and credit cards from an Aspen Woods home on June 19th.

The 25-year-old man of no fixed address is facing multiple charges:

• assault
• assault with a weapon (three charges)
• dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• possession of stolen property over $5000
• operate a motor vehicle while disqualified (three charges)
• fail to stop for police
• breach of a firearm prohibition (four charges)
• break and enter (two charges)
• fraud (two charges)
• theft under $5000
• mischief render property useless/ineffective (two charges)
• possession of a weapon dangerous to the public
• operate a motor vehicle without insurance (three charges)
• hit and run
• driving carelessly

Police could not confirm the man's next scheduled court date late Wednesday.

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