St. Catharines man charged after driver found asleep in stolen vehicle

A St. Catharines man is facing charges after a driver was found slumped over the steering wheel of a stolen vehicle.

Officers located a pickup truck parked on the side of the road in the area of Spring St. near Queenston St. around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Police say a man appeared to be asleep in the driver’s seat.

The man awoke and police asked him to get out of the truck. The man refused and attempted to drive away.

Officers then used a taser in an effort to stop him. Police managed to get him out of the truck but the man continued to resist. Police used the taser again and were able to place him under arrest.

Police say the man was in a “drowsy” and “impaired state” and he was transported to a local hospital for further assessment.

Officers discovered the truck was stolen from Niagara-on-the-Lake on Sept. 18.

Police also found a stolen Ontario license plate and a baggy containing a white powder suspected to be cocaine.

Jeremy Troy Boyer, 31, was arrested and faces several charges, including resist peace officer and operation while prohibited.

Boyer was released from police custody at the hospital.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 3.