Durham officer hitches ride with citizen to make arrest

A citizen is being credited with helping a Durham regional police officer arrest a suspected impaired driver who crashed his car and ran into live traffic in Pickering last Friday.

Police say they were called to the Finch Avenue and Fairport Road area at around 6:30 p.m. after reports that an impaired person was driving into oncoming rush-hour traffic.

Upon arrival an officer spotted the suspect vehicle heading the wrong way southbound on Whites Road and later, on Kingston Road.

Police say at some point the suspect lost control and crashed into a stationary vehicle, leaving the driver with non life-threatening injuries.

The suspect then ditched his car and started running eastbound on Kingston Road, narrowly avoiding being struck by several vehicles.

The officer attempted to pursue the man on foot, but was a considerable distance behind him.

That’s when a motorist driving a Jeep offered assistance. Police say the officer stood on the foot rails of the Jeep, which quickly caught up to the suspect as he approached the westbound ramp to the 401.

“The male was uncooperative and lunged at the officer, who deployed her Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW),” Durham police said in a release. “Multiple deployments of the CEW were required as the male remained threatening and uncooperative. Other officers attended and were able to secure the male.”

Vasilis Profitis, 31, is facing a slew of charges, including impaired operation, careless driving, and failure to stop for police.