Police chase truck igniting sparks from Winnipeg to Portage la Prairie

Police arrested a person early Monday morning after they drove erratically through Winnipeg and then west of the city with a truck that appeared to have a tire missing,attracting attention as sparks shot off the road.

RCMP officers deployed a spike belt on the west side of Portage la Prairie, Man.,and arrested the driver, who was then turned over to Winnipeg police, saidRCMPmedia relations officer Sgt. Paul Manaigrein an email.

Multiple people on social media shot videos of the truck, sometimes driving in the wrong lane, shooting sparks off the road and being pursued by numerous Winnipegpolice officers at about 12:30 a.m.

Natalie Paziukwas among those who witnessed the chase.

She was driving back into Winnipeggoing eastbound after a day trip out of the city when she saw a line of police cruisersand a truck missing a tire coming towardher vehicle in the area of Portage Avenue and Overdale Street.

WATCH | Video taken of the chase in Portage la Prairie:

Car chase involving truck igniting sparks ends in Portage la Prairie

2 years ago

Duration 0:17

Police stopped a truck in Portage la Prairie using a spike belt after it drove erratically through Winnipeg and along the highway. Credit: Sierra Meeches/Facebook

"It'sthrowing sparks like 10 feet behind the truck, and then we realize it's coming directly for us in our lane," she told CBC News in an interview on Monday.

"We had to make a sharp left to get out of his way and the cops way and he blew by going at least120 [km/h]... I don't know how he was making the corners because he was missing a whole tire."

Paziuk says she is relieved she and her friend thought quickly and got out of the way.

It's not known if anyone was injured during the police pursuit.

RCMP wouldn't provide any additional information, and directed further questions to Winnipeg police. They said a news release would be issued Tuesday.