Wanted Hamilton man arrested after ramming into police cruiser

A Hamilton man who had a warrant out for his arrest is facing several new charges after police said he rammed into a cruiser while attempting to evade capture Friday afternoon.

Hamilton police responded to an address on Meritage Lane, near King Street East and Centennial Parkway, around 4 p.m. to arrest a man wanted on an outstanding warrant.

Upon arrival, officers found the man and a woman seated in a parked car on the driveway. The man was asked to exit the vehicle. Instead, he hit the gas, police said, intentionally" reversing into a stationary cruiser in an unsuccessful bid to escape.

Police said officers quickly managed to get the man out of the driver's seat. He was arrested on the driveway.

Police allege that a subsequent search of the man's vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded, semi-automatic, ammunition, 75 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of fentanyl powder, a digital scale and large quantities of cash.

Police said the man was out on bail from previous drug-trafficking charges. Among the conditions in his release order were not to possess any weapons, firearms and non-prescription drugs. He was also prohibited from driving.

The 21-year-old man and the passenger in his vehicle, a 20-year-old woman, were jointly charged with a half-dozen offences, including possession of a prohibited firearm, proceeds of crime over $5,000 and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com