A Red Deer man arrested after a confrontation with police on Feb. 1 made his first court appearance on Thursday from a prisoner’s box in Red Deer provincial court.
Richard Allan Parkhurst, 48, was arrested by Red Deer City RCMP at a metal recycling plant in the Edgar industrial subdivision.
A slough of charges were laid amidst allegations that Parkhurst rammed police cars with a heavy-duty pickup truck in a bid to escape capture and that two Mounties were injured as a result.
The charges include two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm; two counts of mischief relating to allegations of damage to plant property and three police cars; possession of property acquired by a criminal offence, including a one-ton pickup truck, copper wire and metal roadsigns; resisting arrest; being unlawfully at large, and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.
Represented by Red Deer lawyer John MacNaughton, Parkhurst reserved plea on all charges and remains in custody pending his next court appearance, set for Feb. 12.