Calgary man charged after leading police on high speed chase

A 22-year-old Calgary man has been charged after leading police on a high-speed chase.

Eric Smith of Calgary was arrested and charged on Thursday night after allegedly breaking into two car dealerships by ramming into the garage doors.

According to a release from the Lethbridge Police Service, police believe that Smith drove a truck into the garage of a Lethbridge car dealership, gained access, and stole a vehicle just after 9:50 pm on November 30.

Police say that he then drove that vehicle into the garage door of a different dealership, where he then stole the keys to a Fiat Spyder, which he later drove and parked down the street.

Police believe that Smith meant to pick up the vehicle at a later time.

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The release states that Smith then was allegedly moving other vehicles from the lot when a security officer arrived, causing Smith to flee in a Dodge Ram.

The suspect vehicle was located by police around 12:30 am that night, and police cars arrived to block the vehicle in.

The Dodge Ram then rammed through the police vehicles and fled on Highway 3, according to the release.

It was not until a spike belt was used to disable the truck that the Dodge Ram was stopped, but from there Smith fled on foot.

Smith was later located in a shed, where a police dog named Myke finally apprehended him.

Smith has been charged with two counts shopbreaking and committing theft, four counts vehicle theft, three counts flight from police officer, one count each for dangerous driving, mischief over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and resisting a peace officer, five counts each of driving motor vehicle with no insurance and disqualified driving, three counts each of assaulting a police officer with a weapon, mischief under $5,000, theft under $5,000, and possession of stolen property under $5,000, and two counts possession of a controlled substance.

He had his first court appearance on Monday.