A prolific offender who was trying to evade police crashed into a bedroom of an occupied Abbotsford house early Friday morning.
Abbotsford police spotted a vehicle towing a stolen trailer along Highway 11 and Hallert Road at 4:23 a.m. Police say the trailer, which had ATVs and a dirt bike on it, had been stolen just minutes earlier from the Mission area.
Using an unmarked police vehicle, officers followed the trailer and watched as the driver travelled through the streets of Abbotsford.
Additional officers were called in and set up a spike belt along Clearbrook Road to try and stop the driver; however, the man attempted to avoid it by making a sudden right turn.
During this stunt, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a residence at Clearbrook Road and Charlotte Avenue.
Sgt. Paul Walker with the Abbotsford Police Department says the wall the driver crashed into was a bedroom.
"During the collision, the family member was covered in glass, but luckily was not injured,” says Walker.
John Szanto, 39, was arrested at the scene and is in police custody. BC Prosecution Service has approved charges against him, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle, theft of $5,000 and breach of release order.
Staff Sgt. Mark Jordan says prolific offenders, such as Szanto, impact the community and put the public’s safety at risk.
"These offenders demonstrate time and time again that they have no respect for our justice system as well as their court-ordered conditions. Our front-line officers are dedicated to holding these prolific offenders accountable by bringing them before the courts," says Jordan.
Szanto was not injured during the incident and the residents of the home were shaken, but not injured.
Walker says this is an example of a prolific offender out in the community "victimizing residents" in two communities in less than one hour.
