Cop car hits pole, shirtless man exits drivers side door (4 photos)

Witnesses say a shirtless man was driving a police car when it struck a utility pole and was left damaged on Cooper Street around 1 p.m. today.

Two witnesses that live nearby said they saw a police car travelling north on Cooper Street ‘about a 100 miles an hour’ with the siren on.

Brian Dawson, a neighbour across from the driveway where the police car came to rest, told SooToday he heard a car accelerating followed by the sound of brakes screeching, skidding, and a bang. 

Another neighbor said the sound woke her up.

According to Dawson — whose wife also saw some of what happened — people at the scene went to help the vehicle's occupant but they backed away when, instead of a uniformed police officer, a man with no shirt was sitting in the driver’s seat.

The shirtless man left the police car and headed north before being arrested by police officers who arrived on scene soon after the crash said Dawson.

Sault Ste. Marie Constable Sonny Spina was asked if the police car was stolen or if a police officer was driving the vehicle but Spina said at this time he had no further information.

The full text of a news release from Sault Ste. Marie Police follows:

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Today at approximately 1:10 p.m. a Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Patrol vehicle was involved in a single motor vehicle collision in the 600 block of Cooper Street where it struck a utility pole. Damage to the pole was minimal; however the police vehicle sustained significant damage.

This incident is currently under investigation and no further information may be released at this time. 

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