Hummer joyride leaves trail of destruction
Police say unlicensed driver struck pedestrian, cars, trees, home
Last Updated: Friday, March 28, 2008 | 9:24 PM ET
CBC News
A woman jumped behind the wheel of an idling stretch Hummer limousine early Friday, embarking on a wild ride through Toronto that caused six accidents, injured a pedestrian and smashed up cars, trees and a house, police said.
One of the many cars damaged by a joyrider who stole a Hummer in Toronto Friday.
(CBC)
The bizarre incident began shortly after 1 a.m. ET near Yonge and Wellesley Streets, when a limo driver left his Hummer running while he used a nearby bathroom. He left his passengers inside the vehicle, police said.
A 20-year-old woman approached and asked the handful of passengers if she could hitch a ride. When they refused her request, she pushed her way into the vehicle and got in the driver's seat, police said.
The passengers managed to jump out, and the woman drove off.
The woman, who police said does not have a driver's licence, drove through the downtown core, causing six accidents, striking a hydro pole, and hitting a female pedestrian, who was not seriously injured.
Police said the woman then drove four kilometres to Inglewood Drive, near Mount Pleasant Road and St. Clair Avenue.
There, she drove through a front yard, knocked down several trees, and hit three parked cars. The vehicle finally came to rest in a snowbank.
"It looks like there's been an earthquake," said Sam Liu, whose car was hit in the rampage. "My car is like it's been in a crash. It's twisted and the doors are broken."
Another neighbour, Jean Noble, said she woke up to the sound of a loud crashing noise.
"We didn't know what to think," she said. "We came out and everyone on the street seemed to be out."
The woman has been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident, dangerous driving, theft, possession of stolen property, and driving without a licence.
