A family dog was injured and three teens are in custody after they allegedly stole a car in St. John’s and crashed it on the Southern Shore highway in Tors Cove Monday night.
UPDATE WITH MORE DETAILS: Babe, victim of St. John’s car-jacking and 40-km joy ride, is resting up
Reports from the scene allege the young people lost control and crashed the car when they apparently spotted an RCMP vehicle on the side of the road. When The Telegram arrived at the crash scene, the car could be seen on its side in a ditch and one female was sitting in the rear of an RCMP cruiser. The RCMP had apparently been notified by the RNC of the theft and were on the lookout for the stolen vehicle.
A passerby took the injured dog and placed it in the backseat of her car while the RCMP dealt with the three accused. Shortly after the crash, the dog’s owner arrived on scene to be reunited with her pet. The injured dog was visibly limping as it was transferred to another car for a trip back to see a veterinarian to assess its injuries.
At about the same time, a female RNC officer had arrived at the scene of the incident to take custody of the young woman from the RCMP. Visibly distraught, she was searched and placed in the RNC vehicle to be returned to St. John’s. At least one of the three was taken to hospital for what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries.
A Facebook post from family members of the dog's owner indicate the car was stolen from the parking lot of the Topsail Road Walmart.
When contacted, Colin Hanames said he was loading a purchase into his father’s car and was returning the cart when the car was stolen, with the dog, named Babe, inside. He was told by police that the car was involved in a hit and run even before the crash in Tors Cove. Hanames told the Telegram that they brought the dog to a veterinarian to be checked out as soon as they got back to St. John’s.
More details will be provided as they become available.
