(file photo)

By Susan McNeil

PAPS/RCMP traffic enforcement

Police dog finds suspects hiding in yards in two cases over weekend

Mar 25, 2024 | 2:24 PM

On two occasions over the weekend, RCMP officers doing traffic patrols in Prince Albert met resistance by drivers, being bear sprayed in one case and having their vehicles rammed in another.

Just before midnight on Friday, an RCMP officer pulled over a vehicle in the 200 block of 12th Street West but was hit by bear spray when they approached the vehicle.

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RCMP had first seen the vehicle, which is registered to a man who is on a court-ordered curfew for drug trafficking and gun offences driving into Prince Albert via Highway 2.

After the RCMP officer was sprayed, the driver then fled the area but was found about 40 minutes later by a PAPS officer in the 2700 Block of Second Avenue West.

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The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver refused and began evading capture.

At the 400 Block of 23rd Street East, the driver stopped the vehicle and ran on foot but was found by patrol officers and the canine unit in a back yard in the area.

The 23-year-old man was injured by the dog during the arrest and taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment before being release. He is now charged with flight from a police officer, resisting arrest and breaching a release order.

Similarly, on Sunday just before midnight, an RCMP officer attempting to stop a vehicle on the 2800 Block of Sixth Avenue East had the driver fail to pull over.

In this case, the 26-year-old man who was driving used his vehicle to ram the police vehicles several times before running away on foot.

Again, the dog unit was called into action and found the man hiding in a yard in the 500 Block of 25th Street E.

The man is now facing charges of assault on an officer with a weapon, resisting an officer, fleeing and possession of property obtained by crime.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com