The Greater Sudbury Police Service is crediting members of the public for helping catch a suspected impaired driver early this morning.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 18, citizens in the downtown core heard a loud crash. Upon checking the source of the noise, they discovered a vehicle had hit a median in the area of Cedar and Paris streets.

The vehicle then drove a short distance away. The witnesses contacted police and when the driver fled from the vehicle on foot, they followed, keeping the police informed of the person's location as they did so, according to a release from the police service.

At one point, they were able to gain control of the subject, but he managed to escape.

Once in the area, officers were able to locate the driver.

The 33-year-old man was arrested for impaired driving and brought to the police station were breath tests were done, which confirmed he was over the legal limit, police reported.

He was to be released later on Oct. 18, facing charges of impaired driving and being over the legal limit. His driver's license was immediately suspended for 90 days and his vehicle has been impounded for seven days.

The vehicle suffered significant damage to the undercarriage but no injuries were suffered by the driver, police reported.