IIU investigating after police pursuit ends in crash

Manitoba’s Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) is examining a police pursuit that culminated in a crash, leaving one individual hospitalized with serious injuries. According to the Winnipeg Police Service, the incident unfolded on Friday afternoon when a witness reported a man forcing a woman into a green jeep near River Avenue and Donald Street.

Subsequently, officers spotted a green 2023 Ford Bronco at a local parking lot and attempted to stop it. The driver fled, initiating a chase that led the Bronco to collide with a police cruiser near Wellington Crescent and subsequently run a stop sign at Broadway and Langside Street, resulting in a crash with a westbound Mitsubishi Outlander.

The Outlander driver, Shaelyn Desmarais McLeod, sustained minor damages to her vehicle but was not seriously injured. Kesif Fontaine, the Bronco’s 18-year-old driver, was apprehended by police. McLeod, who observed the end of the pursuit from her apartment, recounted hearing the police officer yelling, “get on the f—-ing ground.” The IIU was alerted to the incident on Saturday due to the severity of McLeod’s injuries.