drunk driver markham

An impaired driver smashed his car through two houses in Markham last night

A 47-year-old driver from Toronto has been arrested and charged after allegedly getting drunk, fleeing from police and then smashing his car into not one, but two Markham homes.

York Regional Police stated in a press release on Friday morning that they first started receiving calls about a suspected impaired driver near Ninth Line and Main Street in Stouffville around 6 p.m. on Thursday.

A police officer spotted the driver's vehicle, a white Acura RDX, a short time later near Bur Oak Avenue and attempted to pull him over. The suspect is said to have "fled at a high rate of speed" and ignored traffic signals. 

Cops caught up with the car and its driver a short time later, however, on Major Buttons Drive in Markham, where police say it had "left the roadway and crashed into two homes."

Miraculously, nobody was hurt when the driver plowed right through someone's garage and wound up smack dab in the middle of someone else's.

The driver suffered only minor injuries which were treated in hospital following his arrest.

Images from the scene of the crash show that both homes sustained extensive damage, and a City of Markham building inspector has deemed them "unsafe to occupy" in their current conditions.

Jeagadeeswaran Ratnasabapathy of Toronto has been charged with impaired driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and flight from police in connection with the incident.

Police say that an investigation into what happened is ongoing and that anyone who may have information is encouraged to come forward.

Lead photo by

Daren Goodchild


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