Officers in ‘shock’ over speed of U-haul, court hears

EDMONTON The tactical police officers at the front of the pursuit of a U-haul truck downtown never saw the U-haul’s brake lights as it sped through busy traffic and veered onto the sidewalk, the jury heard in Abdulahi Hasan Sharif’s attempted murder trial Thursday.

“He maintained a dangerous speed, making my stomach drop, putting me in shock,” Const. Denis Plesa testified.

Sharif, 32, is representing himself at trial.

He is accused of 11 offences connected to two vehicle attacks in Edmonton on Sept. 30, 2017, including striking Edmonton police Const. Mike Chernyk with a car, attacking him with a knife, and later hitting four pedestrians with a U-haul truck while being pursued by police.

Plesa and his partner Const. Chris Tagg both described picking up the chase of the U-haul truck in their police vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Tagg said he estimated the U-haul was travelling at about 80 km/h.

As it travelled west on Jasper Avenue, the U-haul drove left of the centre line, and went through several red lights for eight blocks where pedestrian and vehicle traffic was busy, Plesa said.

When the U-haul made a sharp turn onto 109 Street, Plesa said he “was in total shock with his driving pattern.”

The vehicle turned sharply into the alley beside The Pint on 109 Street, where a crowd of people attempted to flee, Tagg said.

“I was hoping to God that I wouldn’t run over anybody,” Tagg said of the people he saw scattering.

Tagg saw two people struck by the U-haul in the area and said the vehicle did not slow down but accelerated as it travelled through the alley.

“The U-haul appeared to be on a rail, like a train — it was accurate and direct,” he said.

When the U-haul began moving south on 107 Street, it gained speed and drove onto the sidewalk at the corner of Jasper Avenue and 107 Street, he said. “I remember seeing pedestrians on that corner and wondering why?” said Plesa.

Tagg said the intersection was clear of vehicle traffic, but the U-haul struck pedestrians on the corner.

The pair’s supervisor, Sgt. Scott Innes, told them to stop the U-haul by any means necessary, they said.

The two officers testified that Plesa used their vehicle to strike and overturn the U-haul on 100 Avenue, and described the details of Sharif’s arrest.

Sharif, who is representing himself, has declined to ask questions of any witnesses so far in the trial. Greg Lazin is acting as amicus lawyer in the case.