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A 38-year-old Ottawa man faces a raft of charges following a raucous scene on Innes Road in which a police officer was struck by a fleeing vehicle, which then bumped a pursuing police cruiser repeatedly in a chase in the east end.

The incident began at about 3 a.m. Tuesday when patrol officers were called to a “large fight” on the 4000 block of Innes Road, near Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard.

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The crowd dispersed as police arrived except for a man who got into his vehicle and struck an officer who was ordering him to stop.

The officer suffered minor injuries, police said Wednesday.

The suspect continued driving, ignoring a patrol cruiser trying to stop his car.

The suspect’s vehicle hit the cruiser “repeatedly” as they drove along Innes before the officer used what police called a “PIT manoeuvre” to render it inoperable.

Police would not be more specific on the technique involved, but police services online describe “police intervention techniques (PIT)” as using a cruiser to strike a fleeing vehicle to slow it down or pin it.

A police spokesman said Wednesday the cars were not travelling at high speed.

Thierry Nkurunziza was charged with a number of drunk driving offences, as well as assault with a weapon and mischief over $5,000.

The police spokesman presumed the last two charges referred to the suspect’s car during the chase.

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