Man charged after police officer injured by driver who allegedly fled Etobicoke RIDE program in a stolen vehicle

The OPP conducts its annual Festive RIDE campaign in this Dec. 8, 2025 file photo.

Police have arrested and charged a 24-year-old man who allegedly fled from an impaired driving spot check in a stolen vehicle, injuring a officer in the process.

The incident happened just before midnight on March 21 on the Highway 427 northbound on-ramp at The Queensway.

The Toronto Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) Highway Safety Division said they were conducting a RIDE program in that area when a notification from an Automatic License Plate Reader indicated a possible stolen vehicle.

Officers then proceeded to stop the vehicle.

Police say while speaking with the driver outside of the vehicle, the passenger entered the driver’s seat, put the vehicle in drive, and fled the scene.

“In the process, the suspect vehicle collided with a passenger vehicle, an unoccupied police cruiser, and police officers. One of the officers was taken to hospital and sustained minor injuries,” they said in a news release.

On Tuesday, the OPP’s Offender Management Apprehension Program and its Bail Support Team, with help from Toronto Police Service’s 33 Division Major Crime Unit, located the suspect in Toronto and arrested him.

Khaleil McDonald, 24, of no fixed address, is facing 12 charges, including assault with intent to resist arrest.

He was remanded into custody following a bail hearing.