A Delta man is facing charges after a weekend crime spree that spanned three Lower Mainland cities.
The string of violent incidents began at around 6 p.m. Sunday when a speeding black Ford Geo rear-ended a minivan on the East-West Connector’s exit to Highway 99.
After the collision, the driver of the Geo, which ended up in a ditch, ran to a nearby home where be stabbed a 60 year-old man several times before stealing a car.
The man was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
At around 7 p.m. the suspect struck again in Vancouver, attacking and robbing a man withdrawing money from a bank machine at Kingsway and Victoria Drive in Vancouver.
In that incident, the victim received several superficial stab wounds and was treated by paramedics.
The assailant fled and moments later a car traveling south on Victoria Drive at 27th Avenue, just two blocks from the bank, was involved in a head on collision. That car was identified as the one stolen earlier in Richmond.
The driver of the stolen car attempted to carjack another vehicle that stopped because of the crash. A man and his wife received slash wounds as the suspect hacked at them through the open driver’s window. The couple and their two children were able to escape by driving away.
The suspect then went across the street to a gas station, stole another car and drove off.
Shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, the suspect was arrested in Surrey after police there tracked down the car stolen at the gas station.
Jonathan Lablanc, 30, who is known to police, was arrested and is facing a host of charges in multiple jurisdictions.
On Monday, he was charged with robbery and assault with a weapon in relation to the alleged incident at the bank.
The other incidents are still under investigation and more charges could be forthcoming.
