A 22-year-old man accused of stealing a ride-share driver’s vehicle in Mississauga and later attempting to disarm a police officer is facing more than half a dozen charges, Ontario Provincial Police say.
According to investigators, at around 5:20 p.m. on Sunday, the OPP’s Mississauga detachment received a call from a ride-share driver who reported that a passenger “had uttered a threat toward another person.”
In a news release issued Monday, police said officers located the vehicle on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), near Dixie Road, and conducted a traffic stop. When the ride-share driver exited the car to speak with police, the passenger got into the driver’s seat and took off in the vehicle, police said.
“Investigators believed that the threat that had been made was serious in nature and a Toronto hospital was placed into lockdown for a short period of time,” the OPP’s news release read.
Police didn’t say what Toronto hospital was placed under lockdown or provide any details about the nature of the threat.
Less than an hour later, police said, officers learned that the stolen vehicle had been involved in a collision on Cawthra Road, south of the QEW, and the suspect had stolen another vehicle from that scene.
“During that interaction, the owner of the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The vehicle was located minutes later by members of the Toronto Police Service and the suspect was arrested following a struggle, in which the suspect attempted to disarm the police officer,” police said.
The suspect has been identified by police as 22-year-old Justin Hack, of Denfield, Ont. He has been charged with uttering death threats, theft of a motor vehicle, flight from police, two counts of resisting a peace officer, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, robbery with violence, failing to stop after an accident, and disarming a police officer.
Police say the investigation is ongoing an anyone with information should contact the OPP’s Mississauga detachment.