Three women and a male suspect were arrested by Ponoka RCMP in connection to a stolen railway maintenance vehicle and two other other unrelated incidents.
It was a busy weekend for Ponoka police.
On Sunday at 4 p.m. Ponoka RCMP received complaints from the public that a railway maintenance truck was stolen as it was being fueled. The truck ripped the gas hose from the pump and sped away almost hitting two vehicles.
Minutes later, a 911 call was received from a rural resident who reported a woman was on his property with a railway maintenance truck that was stuck. When the property owner approached, he noticed that a gas station pump hose was hanging from the vehicle. The woman got out of the truck and allegedly tried to stab the property owner with a screwdriver but was unsuccessful, and fled the property on foot.
RCMP members observed the woman leaving in a truck that she had stolen from the neighbouring property.
With assistance from the Maskwacis RCMP, the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit, the Wetaskiwin RCMP, and the Wetaskiwin Integrated Traffic Unit, a police pursuit was started.
A short time later, the woman lost control of the truck and fled from the vehicle on foot.
Wetaskiwin Police Dog Services were able to successfully locate the woman trying to hide up a tree.
The 30-year-old woman (of no fixed address) had a bail hearing where she was ordered to remain in custody until her first court appearance in Ponoka Provincial Court on Sept. 28, at 9:30 a.m. She is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, two counts of theft, assault with a weapon and fleeing from police, among other charges.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, the Ponoka RCMP responded to a call of a disturbance at a residence where a man was assaulting the occupants. The 40-year-old suspect attempted to fight with police and was arrested with the use of a taser. Investigation revealed that a 38-year-old woman in the residence had also assaulted an occupant and was arrested as well. The woman was later released to appear in Ponoka Provincial Court on Nov. 9th at 9:30 a.m.
After a bail hearing, the man was ordered to remain in custody until his first appearance in Ponoka court on Sept. 28, at 9:30 a.m. He has been charged with assault uttering threats, assaulting a police officer.
An hour after this event, Ponoka RCMP were told a white car, travelling southbound through Ponoka, was swerving all over the road, driving on the curbs, not stopping for stop signs, and driving with no lights on.
They found the vehicle stopped with the female driver fallen on the ground. Ponoka RCMP members arrived on scene and picked her up. The 36-year-old female from Airdrie was released and is scheduled to appear in Ponoka court on Nov. 9, at 9:30 a.m. She is charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, refusal to provide a breath sample.
Data from the Ponoka Detachment shows that the RCMP Crime Reduction Strategy is working. From January to July of this year, property crimes in all RCMP detachments is down nine per cent compared to the same period last year. In rural detachments, it is down 11 per cent. That means, as of July this year, 648 fewer cars have been stolen and 366 fewer homes have been broken into.
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