Seven people are facing charges after two trucks fled from Battlefords RCMP during a police operation that stretched from North Battleford to the Rabbit Lake area Monday afternoon.
Battlefords RCMP say the investigation began April 13 at about 12:15 p.m. when officers attempted a traffic stop on a Ford truck on 110th Street in North Battleford. Police identified the driver as a wanted man, activated their emergency lights and sirens, and the driver fled.
At about 1:30 p.m., Battlefords RCMP officers, with help from the Battlefords Crime Reduction Team, Saskatoon Warrant Enforcement Suppression Team and Police Dog Services, located the male driver on Forest Hall Road about 10 kilometres east of Highway 4.
Police said officers then saw the man and several other people near the Ford truck and a Dodge truck. As officers approached with lights and sirens activated, the group got into the two vehicles and tried to flee again.
The Dodge truck drove into the ditch and its male driver was arrested.
At the same time, police said the Ford truck became inoperable. Investigators allege the male driver of the Ford then got out, entered the Dodge truck in the ditch, and struck an occupied police vehicle while fleeing at a high rate of speed. RCMP say officers were not physically hurt.
Police arrested the adult female occupant of the Ford truck at the scene.
At about 2 p.m., officers located the Dodge truck near Rabbit Lake and saw the male driver running through a field. RCMP arrested the five adult occupants who remained near the truck – one woman and four men. One of those men was later released without charge.
Police Dog Services then tracked down and arrested the male driver.
RCMP say officers found a large amount of cash under the driver’s seat of the Dodge truck. During searches of the arrested people, police also seized two pairs of brass knuckles and an edged weapon.
Officers from Blaine Lake and Spiritwood RCMP detachments also assisted.
Who is charged
Cody Caron, 43, of Douglas, Sask., was arrested on outstanding warrants. He is also charged with resisting arrest, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop after an accident and mischief causing damage to a motor vehicle under $5,000.
Jason Rousseau, 39, of Surrey, B.C., is charged with flight from police.
Iesha Wuttunee, 26, of North Battleford, is charged with resisting arrest.
Hannah Bolig, 25, of North Battleford, Tyson Mosquito, 36, of North Battleford, and Tristan Pritchard, 29, of Wilkie, are each charged with resisting arrest, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and carrying a concealed weapon.
Bolig is also charged with two counts of failing to comply with a probation order.
John Jepson, 24, of Saskatoon, was arrested on outstanding warrants and is charged with mischief.
The charges have not been proven in court.
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