Gary Williams was relaxing in his basement watching “A Walk Among the Tombstones” at around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday when the ending of the film was suddenly interrupted by an urgent call.

Williams was downstairs and didn’t hear the commotion as a car chase that began in St. Catharines came to a chaotic conclusion on his front lawn on East and West Line.

“I had no idea what was going on until my neighbour Tim phoned me,” said Williams.

“There were seven or eight cop cars out here. Apparently the guy lost control and ended up taking out three decent-sized trees, leaving all the garbage and car parts all over the place.”

“He got out of the vehicle, ran up my driveway, dropped his machete and went behind my truck. He and the cops scuffled there. They tased him, all while I was downstairs watching a movie.” 

Neighbour Zijadim Shabani was also watching television when he was shaken by noise from outside and ran to make sure all was OK.

“I heard the noise and I saw the police but other than that I did not see much. I was just worried about them,” said Shabani. 

Williams said police told him the driver was a young man who had been in trouble with the law before and was struggling with mental health issues. 

After such a tumultuous night, Williams spent Sunday cleaning up the fallen trees, garbage and debris littering his front yard. He collected a licence plate, a shoe and some full trash bags. 

Williams was disappointed to lose the beautiful trees that adorned his property for 24 years or so he has lived there, but was relieved no one was hurt. And he eventually got to see the ending of his movie.