Halifax police cars collide during pursuit of stolen vehicle

Halifax Regional Police have confirmed two patrol cars collided while in pursuit of a stolen vehicle early Tuesday morning in south-end Halifax.

The crash happened just before 2 a.m. at the intersection of Jubilee Road and Cambridge Street.

"When they smashed into each other, they spun into the front yard of a house and up against a tree," said Jubilee Road resident John Wesley Chisholm.

One of the cars struck a concrete street marker that was broken up on impact. That vehicle stopped in a hedge on Cambridge Street about four metres from a large blue house.

"They cleaned it up before morning and we never heard any more about it," said Chisholm, who said police owed people in the neighbourhood an explanation. "It woke everybody up right in that area and neighbours all gathered on the sidewalk and were wondering what was going on."

A day and a half after the crash, police explained what had happened.

"Our officers were attempting to stop a vehicle in relation to a criminal investigation when the driver refused to stop," said Const. John MacLeod of Halifax Regional Police on Wednesday. "During the incident, two police vehicles did collide with each other and at this point the criminal investigation is still ongoing and the collision is now being reviewed as well."

MacLeod wouldn't comment on the condition of the officers. Chisholm said they looked shaken up after the crash but appeared to be uninjured. Both squad cars were heavily damaged.

"When a pursuit becomes dangerous to the public or to the officers themselves, it is expected that would cease the pursuit," said MacLeod.

Chisholm said he isn't sure that protocol came into play.

"We were all very surprised this happened," said Chisholm. "I just don't think these kinds of chases should be happening right through our neighbourhood."