Rampage ends after man hits officer with golf club

A man is being held in hospital under the Mental Health Act after a rampage that began in Brampton Saturday morning ended a short time later in Halton Hills with a three-vehicle crash and a police officer being struck with a golf club. Halton Police report at approximately 11:15 a.m. a man attempted to steal a bicycle from a male in the Queen St. E. and Beech St. area of Brampton. The man pulled the rider off the bike, ripping his shirt. The rider began yelling and passersby came to his aid. The man fled, and at approximately 11:30 a.m. police said he walked into oncoming traffic on Queen St. The driver of a Mazda stopped and got out of his car to speak to the suspect who ran toward him and tried to pull him away from his car. The driver screamed for help, drawing the attention of a nearby Peel Regional Police officer who rushed over to investigate. The suspect managed to jump into the driver's seat of the Mazda, and drove away despite attempts by the officer and car owner to stop him. The man drove erratically along 5 Sideroad through Halton Hills until he failed to stop for a stop sign at Eighth Line and, at a high rate of speed, struck a Honda Civic in the intersection. The Civic then struck a van. Only minor injuries resulted from the crash. The suspect then got out of the Mazda, and began walking westbound on 5 Sideroad.

While he was walking, a man in a pickup truck, who had witnessed the accident, drove alongside him and attempted to convince him to return to the scene of the collision. The driver thought he had been successful when the suspect got into his pickup truck, but once inside he attempted to flee by grabbing the steering wheel and stomping on the gas pedal. The driver of the truck managed to pull the keys out of the ignition, stalling the truck. Police say there was a physical confrontation between the driver and the suspect, who then got out of the truck and walked to a nearby residence. The man spoke to the homeowner, who, along with the driver from the pickup truck, attempted to persuade him to return to the accident scene. The three men began walking toward the collision scene when the suspect returned to the home and attempted to unsuccessfully steal the homeowner's vehicle from the driveway. The homeowner ran back to his home and followed the man as he entered his house. The homeowner ordered the man out of the residence, but the suspect grabbed a golf club from the homeowner's golf bag on the way out. Swinging the club as he left, the man hit a hydro meter and continued to swing the club as he walked, hitting and damaging a mailbox. A Halton Police officer arrived and advised the man he was under arrest. The man then threatened the officer and started to swing the golf club. When a second officer arrived, the man continued to be aggressive and was pepper-sprayed, but it had no effect. The man swung the golf club at an officer as he tried to handcuff him, breaking the club in half on the officer's arm. Police managed to wrestle the man to the ground and arrested him. The officer suffered a minor injury but didn't require medical treatment and the man received a minor head injury. He was treated at Georgetown and Oakville Hospitals. Police say the man, 38, of no fixed address, formerly of Kitchener, is still being held in Oakville under the Mental Health Act. Police say there are several charges pending.