PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE – Two RCMP and a Winnipeg man who had stolen a vehicle and rammed an RCMP cruiser were taken to hospital.

RCMP in Headingley were receiving complaints at 10:55 last night about a vehicle driving northbound in a dangerous manner on the Perimeter Highway near Highway 3.

At 11:17 this same vehicle was reported to be driving dangerously in the wrong lanes on Highway 1 near Elie.

Mounties from Portage la Prairie were trying to locate this vehicle. At 11:40PM, officers spotted the suspect vehicle driving westbound in the eastbound lane at a high rate of speed towards them. They were able to get out of the way and turned around in an attempt to stop the vehicle.

The officers then lost sight of the suspect vehicle, they were coming up to the railroad crossing near Portage la Prairie, which had a train crossing at the time. They saw a vehicle waiting for the train to cross so the officers pulled to the side of the highway to determine if this was, in fact, the suspect vehicle.

While the officers were in their cruiser on the side of the road they noticed another vehicle in their rear view mirror coming straight for them at a high rate of speed. The vehicle collided with the rear of their cruiser causing extensive damage to both vehicles. The officers were able to exit the car and take the driver into custody. Police later learned that the suspect had driven through a property near the tracks and made a complete circle and struck the police vehicle from behind at a high rate of speed.

Both RCMP officers and the 41-year-old male driver, from Winnipeg, were taken to hospital as a precaution and were later released.

Mounties determined that the vehicle was stolen out of Winnipeg. Kenneth Martin Derksen is facing numerous charges including Theft of a Vehicle, Dangerous Operation, and Assault Police Officer x2.