Charges laid in motorcycle-minivan crash that sent off-duty cop to hospital

An impaired driver was behind the wheel of a minivan that turned into the path of a motorcycle an off-duty officer was riding in Winnipeg's Elmwood neighbourhood on Wednesday morning, Winnipeg police say.

The50-year-old off-duty police officer operating the motorcycle was rushed tohospital in unstable condition and later upgraded to stable, police said.

Three people inside the van ran from the scene but werefound in the area a short time later, police said.

The 22-year-old driver of the van was the only one charged. He is charged with driving while impaired, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm and driving while prohibited.

The motorcycle was on Talbot Avenue when the van turned onto Levis Street, cutting in front of it, police said. The motorcycle hit the van and theoff-duty officer wasthrown, suffering multiple serious injuries.

The van driveris someone police have had contact with over the years andat the time of his arrest on Wednesday, there was already a warrant out for him,police spokespersonConst. Jason Michalyshensaid.

The man was one of two people arrested when a gun was pulled at a bar on Arlington Street in May 2019. He was charged with weapons offences and assault.

In October 2020, he was arrested after police stopped a stolen vehicle near Health Sciences Centre. A sawed-off rifle andammunition were found in the vehicle and the driver was impaired, police said in a news release at the time.

Just 10 days before that, the same man was stopped by police for speeding and driving erratically around Logan Avenue and McPhillips Street, police said. The vehicle collided with a police cruiser and he was taken into custody.