Meth cited in rampage that involved carjacking, assaults, police chase

A man is accused of going on a rampage that includedassaulting employees of a convenience store trying to force one into a bathroom and then carjacking a tow truck.

Police believe it was all fuelled by meth.

"We do believe methamphetamine played a role in this,"said police spokesmanConst. Jay Murray. "It's very concerning."

The man went into a convenience store onArchibald Street near Elizabeth Road just before 9:30 a.m. Sunday and went behind the counter, where heassaulted two employees, police said.

He then tried to pull one of them into a bathroom but was unsuccessful, police said.He briefly locked himself in the bathroom and armed himself with a metal rod.

The employees, one of whom suffered minor injuries, called police, but the man left before officers arrived.

He went to anearby parking lot and smashed the window of a parked car, police said.

He then walked over to near the intersection of Archibald Street and Elizabeth Road,where he threw the metal rod at a passing vehicle andstood in the middle of the road.

Atow truck slowed down and tried to pass the man, but he jumped into itspassenger side and threatened to shoot the driver, telling him to keep driving, police said.

Officers found the tow truck a little farther south on Fermor Avenue near Archibald and tried to stop it. The driver hitthe brakes and jumped outwhile the vehicle was still moving.

The carjacker then slid into the driver seat and sped off along Fermor for about two kilometres, police said. Police stopped the tow truck just east of Lagimodiere Boulevard, wherea man was taken into custody.

"It's quite an incident he terrorized a number of individuals," Murray said.

The driver of the tow truck who jumped outsuffered minor injuries and was sent to hospitalin stable condition to be looked over.

The carjacker, a 40-year-old man from Winnipeg,has been charged with:

• Assault.
• Robbery (2 counts).
• Forcible confinement.
• Mischief.
• Possession of a weapon.
• Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
• Flight while being pursued by a peace officer.
• Driving while ability impaired.
• Failure to comply with conditions of an undertaking.