On March 13, 2023, at approximately 10:00 p.m., the Winnipeg Police Service received a report of a stolen vehicle with two children inside taken from a hotel parking lot in the 1800 block of Ellice Avenue. A female suspect entered the driver's door and drove off with both children inside. The children pleaded with the suspect to stop the vehicle. However, she refused and continued to drive for approximately ten minutes before finally stopping and allowing the children to exit.
At 10:49 p.m., a North District General Patrol unit located the stolen vehicle near Ness Avenue and Century Street. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off at a high rate of speed.
AIR1 was subsequently assigned and provided visual containment on the vehicle as it fled.
At 10:56 p.m., officers again attempted to stop the suspect at Erin Street and Richard Avenue. However, the suspect side-swiped a cruiser car (causing minor damage) and continued to flee in the stolen vehicle.
At approximately 11:06 p.m., the suspect was driving on Pembina Highway when she struck another vehicle causing both vehicles to spin out of control. The driver of that vehicle suffered minor injuries, and the suspect continued at a high rate of speed.
At 11:08 p.m., the suspect was driving on Grant Avenue at Stafford Street when she struck another vehicle causing extensive damage to both vehicles. The suspect fled on foot, and the other vehicle's driver did not require medical attention at the scene.
The suspect was located in the area and taken into custody.
Meghan Deanna Harper, a 29-year-old female of Winnipeg, has been charged with:
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- Kidnapping x 2
- Forcible Confinement x 2
- Flight While Pursued by Peace Officer
- Operation of a Conveyance While Impaired to Any Degree by BAC or Drug or a Combination of Both
- Within 2 hours of Ceasing to Operate a Conveyance is Impaired with BAC Equal or Over 80mgs
- Drive without licence or with invalid licence (Highway Traffic Act)
- Driver Fail to Exchange Particulars - To Driver (Highway Traffic Act) x 2
She was detained.