A gun-wielding suspect was taken down by a RCMP K9 “Chase” following an armed robbery and high-speed pursuit that began in Two Hills and ended near Bonnyville early Thursday morning.
Two Hills RCMP say they received a complaint around 12:40 a.m. on Jan. 22 regarding an armed robbery on Highway 36.
Police say the victim was sleeping in his vehicle when two suspects approached. One suspect was armed with a shotgun and discharged the firearm into the rear passenger window to force the victim out of the vehicle. The victim complied and the suspects fled in the stolen vehicle.
Two Hills RCMP gathered vehicle information and issued an alert to neighbouring detachments.
Around 2:45 a.m., the vehicle was located near Bonnyville by Bonnyville RCMP. Officers coordinated with additional units as the vehicle travelled toward Cold Lake.
RCMP attempted a traffic stop in Cold Lake, but the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, prompting a pursuit. The Alberta RCMP Real Time Operations Centre coordinated the response, deploying additional resources including Police Dog Services, Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems, and the Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team.
Police say the driver eventually entered lease sites and abandoned the vehicle before fleeing on foot. The passenger remained in the vehicle and was arrested at the scene.
An Chase was deployed and tracked the suspect, locating and taking him down before officers moved in to make the arrest. The suspect was treated for minor injuries related to the dog bite.
A modified shotgun was located and seized during the investigation.
As a result, John Sauve, 20, and Linda-Joyce Wood, 20, both of Saddle Lake, Alta., were arrested.
Sauve faces 13 charges, including robbery with a firearm, discharging a firearm, uttering threats, wearing a mask while committing an offence, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and failure to comply with a court order.
Wood faces nine charges, including robbery with a firearm, discharging a firearm, uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, wearing a mask while committing an offence, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.
Both were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Vegreville on Jan. 26, 2026.
“This was another example of the various resources utilised by, and available to, Alberta RCMP jurisdictions,” said Supt. Anthony Hanson, assistant district officer for Eastern Alberta District.
“Thanks to our multiple resources, detachments, specialized units and the use of our Real-Time Operations Center, we had multiple sets of eyes searching for these individuals, who were a risk to public safety,” Hanson said.
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