Driver of stolen car hits horse, police cars, downtown storefront: police

Two people have been arrested after drivinga stolen truck into a police horse, three cruisers and a Queen Street W. storefront in downtown Toronto on Friday afternoon, police say.

Just after 3 p.m., police in the area of Queen and Beverley streetsreceived an alert from an automatic licence plate reader identifying an allegedly stolen vehicle parked on Queen Street W., Duty Insp. Scott Shutt told reporters at the scene on Friday evening.

Scott saidmounted police, who happened to be in the area, approached the vehicle, a Dodge Ram truck, but the suspect tried to drive off.

The truck struck the horse, Scott said, before colliding head on with a police vehicle nearby. The truck then reversedbefore trying to drive off again, when it was hit by a second and a third police vehicle, forcing it onto the Queen Street curb where it crashed into a Little Burgundy storefront, he said.

The driver and one passenger were then pursued briefly on foot before they were arrested, Scott said.

The driverand one officer were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Scott said, and the police horse was taken to a veterinary hospital for assessment. No civilians were injured, Scott said.

"Thankfully no one was seriously injured, but it was avery dangerous situation," Scott said.

Investigators will be in the area for a few hours Friday evening, he said, and part of Queen Street W. will remain closed during that time.

He said the investigation was in its early stages and police didn't have any details on any charges at this time.