Charges laid after lengthy pursuit, crash

OSHAWA -- An Oshawa man is facing more than 25 charges after an extended pursuit by police ended with a crash on Hwy. 401 Sunday night.

Durham cops first became involved at 10 p.m. after a resident on Montrave Avenue called to report someone who appeared to be trying to steal a vehicle. Sergeant Paul McCurbin said. The suspect left the scene in a van and was intercepted by responding officers, who tried to pull the vehicle over near Ritson Road.

But the van sped off, entering Hwy. 401 westbound at Ritson. Cops called off the pursuit but were soon back on the suspect's trail after report of a stolen van in south Whitby. The driver of the stolen van evaded cops and headed eastbound on the 401 with cruisers following.

The van crashed into a concrete barrier when the driver attempted to swerve from the middle lane to the ramp at Ritson, Sgt. McCurbin said. The male driver fled on foot and was soon captured; a female passenger was busted at the crash scene.

Jim Allen Dempsey, 21, of Rideau Street in Oshawa, faces 28 charges including impaired driving, theft, driving while under suspension and 10 counts of breach of probation. Ashley Pappin, 21, of Concordia Court in Oshawa, is charged with theft and drug possession.