A Port Hope Police officer is lucky to escape death after being thrown from the hood of a car after an attempted murder suspect tried to escape on Thursday, June 20, 2019.
Port Hope Police Staff Sgt Katie Andrews said the drama began at approximately 10:30 a.m. in Port Hope when police responded to a disturbance on Stanley Drive in Port Hope’s east end.
When police arrived it was quickly determined a 28-year-old had been stabbed outside a private residence in the area of, or in a vehicle.
Police issued a statement stating they were looking for two persons of interest, Nicholas Dillon and Ashley Fenton in regards to the stabbing.
A person who read a tweet by Today’s Northumberland about the individuals phoned police and stated they were in Giant Tiger on Peter Street at approximately 2:40 p.m.
One officer approached the male suspect who was in a vehicle parked on the north side of Giant Tiger and the suspect accelerated suddenly.
The officer was between the suspects vehicle and another and the suspect accelerated turning his wheels towards where the officer was standing. The officer jumped on the hood to avoid being pinned.
The car went up an embankment, onto Peter Street, across four lanes of traffic before the officer was thrown onto the lawn in front of CPK Interior Products.
A witness who was travelling eastbound on Peter Street witnessed the incident just as he was coming up to Dollarama.
“The car came flying out (of Giant Tiger) with officer on the hood,” said the man who asked not to be named.
“As the driver corrected the direction to head west bound the officer was thrown from the hood landing on the northbound land sliding/rolling when he contacted the curb he kind of cartwheeled onto the grass of the boulevard.”
“It happened so fast I was in shock.”
“This isn’t something you see every day your mind doesn’t quite comprehend what’s happening.”
“I thought it was some crazy kids goofing off until the officer was thrown from the hood and I noticed the red striped pants.”
The witness said the car headed westbound on Peter Street and north onto Hope Street.
Plain clothed officers attended the injured officer briefly before pursuing the suspect in their mini van.
A doctor and nurse from CPK Interior Products immediately came out to render medical help to the officer before Northumberland County Paramedics arrived.
The suspects vehicle later crashed on Caroline Street where the male suspect was taken into custody.
The female suspect was arrested while she was walking along Peter Street just west of Hope Street South.
Andrews said the officer is very sore, but has no broken bones and was released from hospital Thursday evening.
“I was sitting in the office doing a press release and I heard (over the radio) them get to Giant Tiger and I knew they were in the area, then I heard they were in a pursuit and I heard them say “officer down” unconscious and they needed an ambulance.”
“It hits home with anybody in the community, but when it’s one of our own, we’re brothers and sisters and when that call comes out, it hits home and everybody is emotional.”
The suspects vehicle was towed from the scene to the Port Hope Police Station where an identification officer will photograph and take evidence.
Both suspects will appear for a bail hearing in Cobourg Court on William Street on Friday, June 21, 2019.
The stabbing victim was taken to Northumberland Hills Hospital, then to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries and later released.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
