Stolen vehicle crashes into community centre, 18-year-old driver arrested

A building in the 900 block of Notre Dame Avenue was boarded up after police say an 18-year-old drove a stolen vehicle into the building on Feb. 8, 2025. (CTV News Winnipeg/Gary Robson)

An 18-year-old man was arrested after police said he drove a stolen vehicle into the side of a building early Saturday morning.

Officers were patrolling Winnipeg’s West Alexander neighbourhood around 1:50 a.m., when they said they spotted a man driving a 2010 Acura MDX on McDermot Avenue near Arlington Street.

According to police, the car had been reported stolen from the 900 block of Notre Dame Avenue on Thursday.

Officers said they started following the car down Arlington Street. In what police alleged was an effort to evade the officers, the driver hit a streetlight, before ramming into a police vehicle and speeding away. Police said the driver ended up losing control of the car and crashed into a NorWest community centre in the same block the car was stolen from.

Later that day, boards had been put up at the scene of the crash. Police estimated the building sustained around $30,000 in damages.

An 18-year-old Winnipeg man faces a charge of possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000. There was also a warrant out for his arrest connected with four counts of failing to comply with a sentence.

He remains in custody.