Man arrested after fleeing from officers, ramming two police vehicles

Twenty-eight-year-old Adam Douglas Whalen remains in custody and is charged with numerous criminal offences after he fled from Harbour Grace RCMP on Friday, February 9, and rammed two marked police vehicles.

Shortly before 10:30 p.m., Harbour Grace RCMP received a report of a residential disturbance in Carbonear involving damage to a home and a vehicle that was parked on the property. Police learned that Whalen intentionally drove into the parked vehicle and fled the scene in a SUV.

The SUV was located a short time later in Carbonear and police initiated a traffic stop. The patrol vehicle was rammed by the SUV which then fled from police at a high rate of speed. Officers set up a number of road blocks in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The SUV came upon a road block and increased its speed when approaching the parked patrol vehicle. The officer moved the patrol vehicle to avoid being struck.

At another road block, police deployed a spike belt. In an effort to avoid the spike belt, the SUV reversed at a high rate of speed and rammed the patrol vehicle, causing significant damage and minor injuries to the two officers inside. A tire of the SUV was punctured by the spike belt.  In the interest of public safety, police did not pursue the vehicle.

The SUV was located abandoned a short time later on a gated commercial parking lot where the gate was struck by the vehicle upon entry. The SUV was confirmed to be that of a stolen vehicle reported to the RNC in St. John’s.

RCMP Police Dog Services and a Collision Reconstructionist with RCMP Traffic Services attended the area to assist with the investigation.

Later in the evening, Adam Whalen, who is currently under multiple driving prohibition orders, was located and arrested.  He attended court over the weekend via teleconference and was remanded into custody.

Whalen attends court today and is charged with the following criminal offences:

• Flight from police
• Assaulting a police officer with a weapon – three counts
• Assault with a weapon
• Prohibited operation of a motor vehicle
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Failure to remain at the scene of an accident – two counts

The investigation is continuing.