Kitchener man facing over 40 charges after police find him sleeping in stolen vehicle: WRPS

File photo of a Waterloo Regional Police vehicle. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News)

A Kitchener man has been slammed with 43 charges after police found him sleeping in a stolen vehicle early Sunday morning.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) said in a release that at around 3:30 a.m., officers in the area of Portsmouth Gate and Westvale Road found a white Ford F150 parked in a parking lot with a person asleep in the driver’s side. After investigation, they found the license plates belonged to another vehicle.

Police said they used two cruisers to block the vehicle from driving away, so officers could speak to the person inside.

In part, the WRPS said “The driver tried to flee in his vehicle, striking the two cruisers. The male then attempted to flee on foot. Officers deployed a conducted energy weapon (CEW) and the male was arrested.”

Police said after they arrested the man, they found a loaded firearm in his jacket. They also formed grounds that the man was impaired.

After investigation, the WRPS said the Ford was determined to be stolen. Drugs, including suspected methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl were found in the vehicle, as well as a prohibited knife.

WRPS said officers found out the man was wanted on two warrants with the WRPS and two warrants with the Guelph Police Service for assault causing bodily harm, mischief under $5,000 and breach of probation.

A 40-year-old Kitchener man was arrested and charged with:

• Possession of stolen goods over $5,000
• Possession of stolen goods under $5,000
• Dangerous operation
• Flight from police
• Resisting arrest
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Carrying a concealed weapon
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Unsafe storage of a firearm
• Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
• Three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking
• Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
• Six counts of driving while disqualified
• 20 counts of firearm or weapon: possession contrary to prohibition order

The accused was held in police custody for a bail hearing.