A Tees farmer who is alleged to have shot at suspects stealing his quad faces seven charges, including criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Brian Russell Knight, 38, will appear in Stettler provincial court on April 9 to make a first appearance on the charges, which were laid on Friday by Bashaw RCMP.
Knight is also charged with pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, assault, discharging a firearm, dangerous driving and possessing an unregistered firearm.
The charges were laid after RCMP were called after a farm couple heard noises outside their house about 1:40 a.m. about 25 kilometres southwest of Bashaw.
Police said three males were seen outside the outside the house and two of them jumped into a truck while the third took off on a quad that had been parked outside.
Police said the fleeing quad was pursued by a man in a truck and forced off the road.
The truck driver is then alleged to have fired two shots from a shotgun at the suspect as he ran away.
Friends and relatives of the 38-year-old man were then enlisted to track down the suspect, who eventually returned.
The suspect in the truck attempted to drive away but lost control and slid into a ditch.
The suspect was taken to an Edmonton hospital for treatment.
Staff Sgt. Darrel Bruno of Hobbema RCMP said on Friday that the 30-year-old man alleged to have stolen the quad was released from custody on a promise to appear in court to face charges of stealing the machine. His name hasn’t been released because the information hasn’t been sworn yet.
Charges are pending against the other two alleged accomplices, police said.