Toronto officer dead in snow plow rampage

TORONTO, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A Toronto police officer was killed Wednesday after being hit by a stolen snow plow, driven by man involved in a chase and shootout, police said.

At 10 a.m., 4 hours after the incident began, a solemn Police Chief Bill Blair told reporters Sgt. Russell Ryan, 35, had died of head injuries at St. Michael's Hospital.

The unidentified male suspect in the theft, attack and chase was in the same hospital, after being shot by an officer miles away from the truck's theft, the Toronto Star said.

Two landscape workers clearing snow with shovels were outside of the heavy-duty Chevy pick-up equipped with a large plow, the reports said. They said a barefoot man bolted into the truck and took off, followed by police cars that tried to box the plow in as it repeatedly smashed into parked cars and a garbage truck.

Ryan was struck on the head by the plow as he approached the driver and had no vital signs when paramedics arrived, the reports said.

The owner of the truck used GPS technology to keep pursuing officers aware of its location.

Early reports said the suspect appeared to have been shot in the neck, the Star said.