Vehicle crash under investigation

The investigation of a North Sydney motor vehicle crash late Tuesday evening — where a vehicle rolled over after police attempted to stop it — has been turned over to the province’s Serious Incident Response Team.

While travelling on King Street, a patrol officer with Cape Breton Regional Police observed a vehicle travelling west toward Highway 125 erratically and at a high rate of speed. The officer activated emergency equipment in an attempt to stop the vehicle, which then proceeded to travel out of sight of the officer beyond the Highway 125 overpass, at which time the officer turned off his emergency equipment.

The officer continued driving in an attempt to find the vehicle, locating it on Johnson Road where it had overturned about 10 minutes later, at 11:30 p.m.

All three male occupants were outside of the vehicle on the side of the road — two were transported to Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney with non-life-wthreatening injuries, where the driver remains for further treatment of injuries to his hand.

The traffic safety unit is investigating with assistance from the forensic identification unit.

The vehicle has been seized and charges are pending.

Since there was an attempted police stop of the vehicle and the driver sustained injuries, the incident has been referred to SiRT for investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call 902-424-2010, or toll free 1-855-450-2010.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia, whether or not there is an allegation of wrongdoing. The Police Act requires the director to file a public report summarizing the result of the investigation within three months after it is finished.