Five young adults who fled from police in a stolen vehicle early Saturday were lucky to escape serious injury after driving at high speed the wrong way on a one-way street, crashing into a stop sign and then pushing parked cars into a house in the 1400 block of Dougall Road.
Three occupants of the car were taken to Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, while two males fled the scene, according to Windsor police.
The two men were later found by officers hiding inside a residence on Hanna Street under piles of clothing and bedding.
“Given the time being early in the morning fortunately there wasn’t much traffic on the road,” said Windsor police Staff Sgt. Steve Bodri. “They also ran the red light at Tecumseh and Dougall. There was a potential for serious injuries – if not death – for them and others on the road.
“These kids are lucky there was not more serious injuries – or worse. It was foolish for them to try to get away, especially when police were right there.”
The incident began around 1:20 a.m. when officers on patrol heard squealing tires in the area of the Ouellette Avenue and Tecumseh Road intersection. They observed a 2000 Chevy Impala swerving into lanes and then slowing down once seeing the patrol car. Officers next observed several passengers crouching down in the car.
Officers learned the vehicle had been reported stolen hours earlier on Friday.
Police followed the car into the parking lot of the Zehrs Superstore in the 2400 block of Dougall.
The stolen car then took off at a high rate of speed.
It proceeded north on Dougall – driving the wrong way on the one-way portion of the street, north of Tecumseh.
The Impala crashed into the stop sign at the intersection of Shepherd Street West, travelled over a front lawn and into a double driveway – plowing into two vehicles which were parked.
The impact of the crash pushed the vehicles into the brick front wall of a home owned for 38 years by Joe Simpson.
“We were woke up at 1:30 (a.m.) with a loud bang,” said Simpson of him and his wife. “We looked out the window and saw my car against the house turned sideways and another car on my front lawn.”
The young men involved could be heard yelling and screaming, he said.
“One was laying at the side of the house and couldn’t get up,” Simpson said. “He was complaining of his injuries.
“Shame at these kids for going at high speed. This caused a lot of damage. I have a 2010 Journey that’s scrap. The house was hit. I’d like to see them and find out what the heck these kids thought they were doing.”
A 20-year-old Windsor man was arrested for dangerous driving and possession of stolen property. A 17-year-old LaSalle male was arrested for breaching court-ordered conditions.
Damage was estimated in total to be about $50,000.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, Bodri said.
“These kids take a car and act like idiots and (Simpson) loses out,” said his son-in-law, Steve Lauzon. “He works hard to keep his house looking good. Now, the front lawn is ruined, the house damaged a bit and his car was destroyed. He is upset – and he should be.”

Joe Simpson, pictured on his front lawn, had his vehicle smashed by a group of young adults who had stolen a car and crashed it onto Simpson’s front lawn after a brief chase by Windsor police, Saturday, April 20, 2013. Three occupants of the stolen vehicle were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and two were later found hiding at a residence not far from the crash scene. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)

The scene of an early morning crash Saturday, in which a stolen vehicle hit a stop sign and several parked cars. (Joe Simpson for The Windsor Star)

The scene of an early morning crash Saturday, in which a stolen vehicle hit a stop sign and several parked cars. (Joe Simpson for The Windsor Star)
