Several arrests after 2 separate weekend carjackings

Winnipeg police say two carjackings on the weekend have led to several arrests.

The first happened in the drive-thru lane of a restaurant on Pembina Highway at about 9:10 p.m. Saturday.

A man got into the driver's side of a car while the driver was picking up food, police said. The female driver escaped through the passenger-side door before the man drove off with her car.

While leaving the parking lot, the thief hit a passing car on Pembina Highway and continued to head south. He drove up onto the median several times, then went over a sidewalk and hit a street lamp, police said.

The vehicle only stopped when the man drove it into a concrete wall at the south Perimeter Highway overpass. The man ran from the car and was tracked down by officers on nearby Cloutier Drive, police said.

The man was taken to hospital for minor injuries, and while there, struggled with a nurse, who was hurt, said Const. Tammy Skrabek. 
   
"It's a significant injury but not over-serious," said Skrabek. "She's been treated and that's been taken care of. But it was the result of a confrontation, where she received a bit of an injury, but it wasn't the result of a strike or anything else."

The man had been drinking, Strakbek said.

A 29-year-old man faces charges of robbery, driving while impaired, assault causing bodily harm, resisting a peace officer, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, driving while disqualified and refusing to provide a blood sample. He is in custody.

Woman assaulted, car stolen

Earlier that day, police were called about a man stealing a car while a mother was putting her child in the back seat.

Police were called to Selkirk Avenue Saturday at about 10:20 a.m. after a 44-year-old woman was securing a car seat in the back of her vehicle when she was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. There was no child in the vehicle at the time.

The woman was not hurt, police said in a news release. 

At about 3:30 p.m., police found the car parked on Flora Avenue in front of a house. The man and woman in the car were arrested.

Two more men in the house were arrested for alleged involvement.

Police found brass knuckles and a folding knife, and one of the men gave a false name to officers, said Skrabek.

Three men, age 18 to 20, and a woman, 20, face various charges of possessing property obtained by crime, identity fraud, possession of a weapon and failing to comply with court orders. They are all in custody.