Driver of stolen SUV dies after hitting tree: Edmonton police
The 27-year-old man who died in a crash in north-central Edmonton early Thursday morning was driving a stolen vehicle and fleeing from its owner, police say.
Emergency responders were loading an SUV passenger onto a stretcher and attempting to cut out the driver when CTV News Edmonton arrived at the scene at 120 Avenue and 89 Street around 6 a.m.
The 2010 Toyota RAV4 was mangled and a nearby tree was damaged.
Delton neighbourhood residents told CTV News Edmonton they heard the vehicle speeding down their street right before the crash.
"I had my windows open," Vern Smart said. "The speed of the car – you could hear it… And then the squeal. And then the smash of the car. And then I come out and all I seen [sic] was that car smoking."
The RAV4 was stolen by two people from a home garage a few blocks away at 125 Avenue and 81 Street, investigators were told.
"The male owner of the RAV4, who happened to be at a nearby convenience store at the time of the theft, spotted his RAV4 drive by, and subsequently pursued the two suspects from a distance in a secondary vehicle, while speaking with 911 emergency operators," Edmonton Police Service said.
"Shortly thereafter, the stolen vehicle lost control and struck a tree on 120 Avenue."
"I heard the brakes squeal and then I heard a big, big bang, basically. I came outside and seen [sic] all this commotion going on," Coby Steinhauer, who was getting ready to leave for work, recalled.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
His 34-year-old passenger was expected to survive his injuries.
Speed is considered a "major" factor.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Evan Klippenstein
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.