Several residents found themselves nearly caught in a high speed chase this evening in Wallaceburg.
Details are scarce at the moment, but several witnesses spotted a red van travelling at a high rate of speed through town, with several police cruisers in hot pursuit.
Wallaceburg resident Jenn Ritchie felt the breeze of the van when it blew past her on Margaret Avenue at around 5:45 p.m.
“I was biking, corner of Margaret at the bridge, headed towards Murray,” Ritchie told the Sydenham Current.
“The van went through a red light. First I thought it was just some kid being dumb, but was driving really quick. I could feel the air coming off the van as it went past.”
Ritchie said the side sliding door on the drivers side of the van was open as the driver was speeding by.
The police were not far behind.
“As I was about to go across, I heard sirens,” she said. “Four cruisers come from Margaret towards downtown, followed by another over the Murray Street bridge.”
Ritchie said the close-call was scary.
“I’m glad I didn’t decide to go ahead,” she said. “I would have gotten run over.”
The Sydenham Current spotted multiple Chatham-Kent Police Service cruisers speeding along Dufferin Avenue, along with an OPP cruiser, heading towards Walpole Island.
Dufferin Avenue at Highway 40 was blocked by police temporarily as well.
One witness, who was going for a run, saw a red van with its sliding door open blow through a red light at Margaret Avenue.
The witness, who chose to remain anonymous, watched several police cars speeding after the van.
We’ll provide an update on this story when more information is available.
Photo: A Chatham-Kent police officer chats with another officer, while blocking traffic on Dufferin Avenue at Highway 40 on Wednesday evening.
