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Montreal police say they have arrested a 21-year-old man who allegedly struck a police officer in April with a stolen BMW before fleeing on a downtown sidewalk.
Police say the man, identified in a court document as Sunny Authier, once again attempted to use a vehicle as a weapon as officers closed in on him in Pierrefonds on Monday, allegedly ramming the vehicles of the officers that had come to arrest him in an escape attempt.
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Authier is alleged to have driven stolen vehicles at police on multiple occasions over the past year before fleeing, Montreal police said, so specialized units conducted the arrest on Monday, due to the danger of the operation.
In early April, Authier is alleged to have struck an officer who attempted to stop him as he drove a black BMW, which had been reported stolen, near the intersection of Stanley and Sherbrooke Sts. After striking the officer, he drove onto the sidewalk and escaped at high speed.
Prosecutors say Authier, who appeared in court Tuesday, faces charges of assaulting a peace officer with a weapon and fleeing from police in connection with the alleged attempt to flee on Monday.
In May, a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, theft of a vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime and dangerous driving in connection with the April 7 incident. Police say the suspect, who remains detained, has also been charged with breaching conditions.
Police said in May that three other men, ages 18 to 25, who are alleged to have been working with Authier, had been arrested in connection with the events of April 7, during which three other vehicles were allegedly stolen from the same area of downtown Montreal around the same time as the BMW was allegedly taken.
Authier has an extensive criminal record and has previously pleaded guilty to car theft and fleeing from police.
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