A scary scene near Union Station ended with five GO Transit Safety Officers helping chase down a man in an alleged impaired driving incident on Friday night.

Former Toronto Deputy Police Chief Peter Sloly offered praise to the GO Transit Safety Officers soon after the incident.

“They were brave and effective without knowing if this was another radicalized person bent on creating mass casualties,” he said. “We are a safer place because of your team.”

The incident took place less than two weeks after the horrifying events in North York, where 10 pedestrians were killed by the driver of a van on a Yonge St. sidewalk.

“We are pretty proud of our officers for stopping the man before anyone was seriously hurt or killed,” said Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins.

The chaos began when, according to Toronto Police, the man stole a vehicle that was picking up an Uber fare. He then frantically drove the car through the GO Bus Terminal roadway onto Bay St. as the officers starting chasing him on foot.

After crashing through the centre barricade on Bay St., the man allegedly continued to drive the wrong way toward Front St., before colliding with a wall next to a number of screaming pedestrians outside Union Station.

Multiple cars were hit soon after. A number of people in the other vehicles were injured but all injuries were considered minor and no one went to hospital.

The driver continued along Front St. before jumping out of the car in front of Union Station. He then started to run, with the GO Transit Safety Officers close behind, before being caught on York St. trying to enter the Fairmont Royal York.

The man was arrested by Toronto Police and charged with theft, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and impaired driving.