Drunken 18 year old nearly kills Durham police officer

A Durham Regional Police Officer narrowly missed being struck by an impaired motorist while at the scene of another impaired vehicle stop.

On Sunday, August 28, 2011 at approximately 12:45 a.m. a DRPS patrol supervisor was called to Park Road South, south of Bloor Street, to assist the O.P.P. with a suspected impaired motorist. The DRPS officer arrived to find the O.P.P. cruiser had successfully stopped the vehicle and the investigation was well underway.

As the DRPS officer was clearing the call and walking back to his own cruiser, a second and unrelated vehicle was seen approaching him, travelling southbound on Park Road South at a high rate of speed. The DRPS officer had to lunge out of the way and felt the brush of the suspect vehicle’s side view mirror as it sped by.

The officer pursued this second vehicle and was assisted by another DRPS cruiser. The suspect vehicle ran through a red light but was eventually boxed in on Wentworth Street West, about 500 metres from Park Road South. There was no damage to any vehicle. The accused was given a roadside breath test and then taken to West Division for an additional breath test.

Balwant JAGDAT, age 48, of Milano Court in Mississauga is charged with Exceed .08 and Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle.

His vehicle was impounded and his licence was suspended. He was later released on a Promise to Appear.