‘Prolific offender’ arrested after crashing into home in Abbotsford, BC – BC

An alleged prolific offender in Abbotsford, British Columbia, was arrested after crashing into a house early Friday morning.

It all started around 4:23 a.m. along Highway 11 and Hallert Road, police say, when officers spotted a vehicle towing a trailer loaded with ATVs and a dirt bike that had been stolen minutes earlier in the Mission area.

Unmarked police cruisers followed the trailer as other officers attempted to set up a belt of spikes along Clearbrook Road.

The driver spotted police and attempted to dodge the spiked belt, but lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a house near Clearbrook Road and Charlotte Avenue.

No one inside the house was injured, police said.

John Szanto, 39, was arrested and is in custody.

“Prolific offenders such as Mr. Szanto continue to impact our communities, putting public safety at risk,” said Abbotsford Police Staff Sergeant Mark Jordan.

“These offenders demonstrate time and time again that they have no respect for our justice system as well as for the conditions imposed by the court.”

Szanto was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle, theft over $5,000 and breach of a discharge order.

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