A Calgary man is facing numerous charges in connection to a dangerous driving incident that resulted in a serious crash in the city’s southwest on Tuesday morning.
Police were called to a parking lot near 52 Street and 26 Avenue N.E. at about 12:30 a.m. for reports that a man was assaulting a woman.
When officers arrived, the couple got into a white, Jeep Cherokee, that was reported stolen in Leduc earlier in the day, and fled north in the southbound lanes of 52 Street.
The Jeep nearly hit police vehicles that were responding to the incident and police say the driver of the vehicle deliberately drove into oncoming traffic and ran red lights while reaching speeds between 140 and 180 km/h.
Other motorists had to take evasive action to avoid being hit and HAWC was called in to track the stolen vehicle.
The offender drove into the parking lot of a downtown casino at about 2:00 a.m. and then fled southbound on Macleod Trail at about 140 km/h on damaged tires.
He lost control of the vehicle in the 5500 block of Macleod Trail, crashed through a tree, and then into the side of The One Sushi Restaurant.
The driver fled the scene leaving the female passenger pinned in the vehicle.
The Canine Unit tracked the suspect and he was arrested a short distance away.
Firefighters extricated the female passenger and she was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
Police say the suspect is also charged in connection to an incident at Market Mall at the end of June. It is alleged that he tried to steal property from a store and then deployed bear spray when security tried to apprehend him before fleeing the area in a stolen vehicle.
He is also alleged to have stolen a vehicle from a home in Aspen Woods on June 19 before breaking into a home in Springbank Hill and stealing credit cards and other items. Police say the cards were then used to buy items at several convenience stores around Calgary and to purchase gas in Red Deer.
Travis Ricky Ball, 25, of no fixed address in Calgary, is charged with:
- Assault
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of stolen property over $5000
- Operate a motor vehicle while disqualified (x3)
- Fail to stop for police
- Breach of a firearm prohibition (x4)
- Break and enter (x2)
- Fraud (x2)
- Theft under $5000
- Mischief – render property useless/ineffective (x2)
- Possession of a weapon dangerous to the public
- Assault with a weapon (x3)
- Operate a motor vehicle without insurance (x3)
- Hit and run
- Drive carelessly
There is no word on the woman’s condition or whether she will also face charges in the incident.
