Halifax Regional Police were searching for three suspects yesterday after a hit-and-run incident on the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge that sent two police officers to hospital.
According to Staff Sgt. Brenda Zima, the officers were making a routine stop at an impaired driving checkpoint around 3 a.m. when the vehicle suddenly accelerated, knocking them both to the pavement.
“The officers approached and attempted to engage the driver in conversation and the vehicle immediately took off,” said Zima, adding both officers were on the driver’s side. “It was a very dangerous situation.”
The two officers, one of whom was dragged a short distance along the roadway, were not able to pursue the driver or take down a license plate as the vehicle sped through the bridge tolls.
“There were three adult males, white,” Zima said of the suspects. “That’s pretty much all we have at this point.”
The checkpoint was part of Operation Christmas – a program launched several years ago to cut down on the number of impaired drivers on the road during the holiday season.
Police describe the vehicle as a late 1990’s-2000 Grand Jeep Cherokee – a two toned model with light grey on top and dark grey on the bottom. Police also say there should be scratches on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Police say the vehicle was last observed in the Thistle St. area. The two injured officers were taken to Dartmouth General Hospital where they were treated for minor scrapes and bruises and then released, Zima said.
She called the incident “a very rare occurrence,” adding this is the first time something like this has happened during Operation Christmas.
“It’s difficult to say why this person did what they did,” Zima said. “There are certainly a number of reasons why people don’t want to talk to the police.”
