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A Thornhill man is facing charges after a spate of several non-fatal overdoses linked to an unknown drug Friday afternoon – an operation that involved three police departments.
Joseph Patrick, 26, of Thornhill was arrested in Etobicoke early Saturday after evading police in Strathroy Friday night.
London police on Friday evening issued a public safety advisory after a man in a red sedan was seen giving out an unknown drugs for free near Adelaide Street and Queens Avenue, a location near several social services for marginalized Londoners, earlier in the day.
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After the suspect left, several people who ingested the unidentified substance overdosed and required medical treatment, police said.
The suspect was seen driving a red sedan.
The investigation was assigned to the department’s guns and gangs unit, who identified both the suspect and the vehicle, London police said in a news release Saturday afternoon.
Investigators notified police services in the region about the suspect and vehicle to help them in their search.
Strathroy-Caradoc police found the red sedan and suspect near Second Street and Centre Road shortly after 8:30 p.m. Friday, London police said. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it sped away. Strathroy police notified London investigators.
The suspect and vehicle were later located by Toronto police in Etobicoke, London police said Saturday. The suspect was arrested at about 3:20 a.m., police said.
Patrick is charged with resisting arrest, failing to stop for police and drug trafficking. He has been held in custody and is expected to appear in London court on Monday.
London police are asking anyone who may have spoken with the accused to come forward.
Investigators are asking anyone who received the free drugs from the accused not to ingest them and to call London police at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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