A Sault woman is looking for a Christmas miracle after her insurance company said it would not cover her car that was stolen from her driveway and involved in a dangerous police chase captured on video.
In a GoFundMe page set up by herself, Bryana Leonard said it was her vehicle involved in a dangerous takedown operation in which four Sault Police officers suffered minor injuries.
Leonard said she was warming up the car in her driveway on Dec. 19 to make it more comfortable for her young son. After being stolen, the car was driven through a busy parking lot, through a red light, and crashed into a cruiser before being stopped by police on Brien Avenue.
Dramatic video of the police chase was posted to a local Facebook forum, showing the stolen vehicle driving across a lawn close to a home before being boxed in by police cruisers.
Amanda Maynard, 40, was arrested charged with multiple offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and assault with intent to resist arrest. Police say she had been arrested earlier for a break-and-enter, but was released on an undertaking.
Jacob Sabourin, 36, is charged with being an occupant of a vehicle taken without consent.
"I've learned that my insurance refuses to cover any cost or loss," Leonard on the GoFundMe post. "So I'm currently left with no vehicle and an unknown amount of debt for the towing and every other expense that come along with recovering from this."
Leonard is seeking $6,000 to cover the costs associated with the theft and destruction of her only means of transportation. So far, she has raised just over $1,200.
"Without this vehicle I can no longer take my son to his doctors appointments, family visits and weekly learning activities," she wrote. "Beyond that, I also assist many family members who do not have a vehicle of their own. My vehicle allows me to transport loved ones to and from daily appointments, groceries and in the event of emergencies."