A man from Saskatoon involved in a police pursuit and subsequent crash in the city has been released from custody and admitted to the hospital under the Mental Health Services Act. Initially facing charges of dangerous driving, evading police, and impaired driving, the 37-year-old driver was later released without charges. The purpose of the Mental Health Services Act is to facilitate treatment for individuals with severe mental illnesses.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday morning when reports of a black car driving erratically in the wrong lanes and running red lights prompted a police chase around 8:45 a.m. CST in the City Park neighborhood. Despite attempts by an officer to halt the vehicle on the 900 block of Seventh Avenue North, the driver accelerated away, leading to a collision with a truck on the University Bridge around 9:30 a.m. The crash resulted in significant traffic disruptions in both directions for a considerable part of the morning, especially with the Broadway Bridge already closed, causing traffic congestion on College Drive and throughout downtown.
Fortunately, there were no major injuries reported from the crash. Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.