RCMP say a Red Deer man rammed a RCMP cruiser while trying to evade arrest in a stolen truck on Tuesday afternoon.
Red Deer RCMP said at 1:30 p.m. officers responded to a report of a stolen truck parked in Riverside Meadows. When RCMP boxed in the truck, the male suspect got into the truck and used it to allegedly ram the driver’s door of the police cruiser while the police officer was behind the wheel.
The suspect tried to flee the scene by getting out of the truck through the open passenger but was immediately arrested despite struggling with officers.
“Red Deer RCMP were actively looking for the stolen white Chevrolet truck after it fled during an attempted traffic stop earlier the same day and we are relieved to say that the officer in the rammed police vehicle was not injured,” said Red Deer RCMP Cpl. Karyn Kay in a press release.
During the arrest, RCMP seized two stolen cheques – a government cheque that had been altered, and a cheque stolen from a business and made out to the suspect – brass knuckles, a knife, and several pellet and BB guns that the suspect was prohibited by court order from possessing.
Police also seized bolt cutters and other tools known to be used in vehicle break-ins, and several stolen identity documents.
“When criminals in stolen vehicles attempt to evade arrest, the vehicle can become a deadly weapon, so our thanks go out to the citizen who reported the truck’s location. Citizens play a crucial role in our crime reduction efforts by helping police take stolen vehicles off the road without injury to innocent civilians, and helping us to put repeat offenders before the courts as often as possible,” Kay said.
The 30-year-old suspect was wanted on three warrants for theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and driving while disqualified as the suspect in a gas and dash in a stolen jeep May 18.
On May 17 Red Deer RCMP arrested the suspect on an earlier warrant and charged him with drug possession and resisting arrest at that time.
The Red Deer man is now charged with three counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, resisting a peace officer, assault with a weapon, three counts of possession of identity documents, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, two counts of unauthorized possession of firearm, four counts of possession a weapon contrary to an order, two counts of unauthorized possession of firearm, possession of break-in tools, two counts of possession of forged documents, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, operating a motor vehicle without registration, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.
He was remanded into custody to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Thursday.