Police cruiser rammed, suspect arrested in Cookstown

After a pursuit that led to a York Regional Police officer having his cruiser rammed into a hydro pole, a man has been arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police in Cookstown.

On Thursday, August 3, at approximately 10 p.m., a York Regional Police officer on patrol in the area of Woodland Avenue in Georgina observed a stolen vehicle driven by the male suspect. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle when the driver fled, refusing to stop. The pursuit continued for some time and distance but took a turn when in the area of Catering Road the suspect rammed the police cruiser, forcing it off the road into a hydro pole. As a result of the impact, the pole was severed off.

The driver continued to flee but the pursuit was eventually terminated due to concern for the safety of officers and the public. Officers operating the York Regional Police helicopter Air2, followed the vehicle at a distance into the Bradford area. Officers in this neighbouring jurisdiction of South Simcoe attempted to stop the vehicle with the use of a stop stick but were unsuccessful and the suspect

continued east along Highway 88, west of Highway 400 from Bradford.

As a result of radio broadcasts to other police services, officers working out of the Ontario Provincial Police Detachment in New Tecumseth spotted the stolen vehicle an hour later in their jurisdiction. The suspect was boxed-in after he engaged officers in another pursuit and he was arrested without incident in Cookstown.

The suspect will remain in the custody of the Ontario Provincial Police until his charges are dealt with there and will then be turned over to York Regional Police to face additional charges.

The officer whose vehicle was rammed did not suffer any injuries.

The driver of the stolen vehicle has been identified as Kevin Thomas Ruttan, 39, of no fixed address.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the #3 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at 1-866-8765423, ext. 7341, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.