ON Friday, September 9 at 4:23 a.m., Abbotsford Police patrol officers located a vehicle towing a stolen trailer along Highway 11 and Hallert Road. The trailer had been stolen minutes earlier from the Mission area and was loaded with ATVs and a dirt bike.

Patrol officers began to follow the vehicle from a distance in unmarked police vehicles. As the driver made his way through the streets of Abbotsford, additional officers were in the process of setting up a spike belt along Clearbrook Road in an attempt to stop the vehicle.

The driver observed this and attempted to avoid the spike belt by making a sudden right turn. During this attempt, the driver lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a residence at the intersection of Clearbrook Road and Charlotte Avenue. Although shaken, the occupants of the home were not injured.
John Szanto, 39, was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody. Charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, theft of motor vehicle, theft over $5,000, and breach of release order have been approved by the BC Prosecution Service.
“Prolific offenders such as Mr. Szanto continue to impact our communities, putting public safety at risk. These offenders demonstrate time and time again that they have no respect for our justice system as well as their court-ordered conditions. Our frontline officers are dedicated to holding these prolific offenders accountable by bringing them before the courts,” said Staff-Sgt. Mark Jordan.