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Officer hit trying to stop stolen vehicle released from hospital

Mar 22, 2017 | 12:04 PM

Saskatoon police have a 23-year-old man in custody after an officer was injured while investing a stolen vehicle downtown.

Police got a call around 3:55 p.m. Tuesday of a vehicle being stolen from an address on Edmonton Avenue. The driver had reportedly left it running with the keys inside.

An officer then spotted the stolen vehicle in the 300 block of Avenue T North.

“While he was investigating, the suspect got out of the vehicle and fled. The officer pursued (on foot) and during that time was struck by a vehicle,” police spokesperson Kelsie Fraser.

The collision happened at Idylwyld Drive and 33rd Street. The driver involved remained on scene.

Video of the incident surfaced on Facebook Tuesday.

Warning: this video contains graphic images that some may find disturbing.

The officer has since been identified as a 37-year-old man with 14 years’ police service in Saskatoon. He was taken to hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries and released Tuesday night.

At least a dozen cruisers blocked the stretch of 33rd Street from Avenue C to Idylwyld Drive for more than an hour.

A tip led police to an apartment building on the 1100 block of Avenue B North where the 23-year-old was arrested.

The man was also wanted on an unrelated warrant.

He’s set to appear in court Wednesday.

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