Busy Easter weekend for Alberta RCMP

Alberta RCMP reported 1 collision with fatalities and 17 serious injury collision events over the Easter long weekend.

Double fatality single vehicle collision near Brooks - alcohol and speed believed to be factors
In the fatal collision, Brooks RCMP attended to a single vehicle rollover on Highway 36 south near the Antelope Creek area. A Ford F150 was traveling south bound when it drifted into the north bound lane and then over corrected going into the west side ditch. This caused the vehicle to loose control and rolled, partially ejecting the two occupants. Two persons were killed; a 20 year old female and a 22 year old male. Both subjects were found to be deceased upon arrival of emergency services.  The 22 yr old male is from the Rolling Hills area and the 20 yr old female is from the Vulcan Region.  Police are investing the matter, as it is believed that alcohol and not wearing seatbelts are a factor to these deaths.

Stats: 
The Integrated Traffic Services units contributed the following focused enforcement to counter the loss and trauma caused by the collision events. Between Good Friday, April 6th and Easter Monday April 9th,  Integrated Traffic Services officers laid 4530 charges across the province including:

• 3,555 speeding violations including  36 speeding offences 50KpH (+) over the speed limit ;
• 21 impaired driving charges, in addition to 53  24-hour suspensions for alcohol or drug use and 11 drug related offences;
• 64 other Provincial alcohol-related violations;
• 46 intersection related infractions;
• 133 seatbelt and or child restraint infractions;
• 24 distracted driving infractions (cell phone) and
• 573 non-hazardous violations (e.g. no insurance, suspended drivers.)

Incidents of interest across the province:

Armed Robbery Fort McMurray Shell Station

Wood Buffalo RCMP are investigating an armed robbery that occurred on April 3, 2012, at the Shell gas station in the Dickinsfield area of Fort McMurray. Shortly before 10:00 PM, a lone male entered the store with a knife in his hand. The suspect walked behind the counter, demanded money from the clerk, and stole approximately $1500 before running out the back door through the car wash. No injuries were reported as a result of this incident.

Fort MacMurray Shell robbery suspect

 Police are looking to identify the suspect who was described as a Caucasian male, above average height, wearing black pants, a brown hoodie, black and white running shoes, and a dark paintball mask.

Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit
On Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 11:54 PM, a civilian motorist traveling northbound on QEII near the Crossfield turnoff called 911 to report a vehicle swerving from lane to lane on the highway. The motorist was concerned that the driver may be impaired, as the vehicle had driven into the ditch on more than one occasion and was traveling at varying speeds.  Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit located the vehicle which was reported stolen out of Red Deer on the morning of April 6, 2012.  The driver and lone occupant exited QEII at the Highway 581 (Carstairs) overpass, lost control of the vehicle, and came to rest in the ditch. The driver exited the vehicle on foot, and fled into a rural farm yard.  With assistance of the Police canine, the suspect was located a short time later and was taken into custody.

High River Integrated Traffic Unit

• Friday, April 6, a driver smashed into a building in Turner Valley and then left the scene. The vehicle was stopped on Hwy 7 for a traffic violation. The driver was intoxicated and was charged for impaired driving.
• Saturday, April 7,  a 173 kph violation on Hwy 22X
• Monday, April 9, a vehicle for speeding, indicators pointed to the driver being a dealer of narcotics. A search of the vehicle was made.  Scales and around $2000 in cash was seized. 

Wetaskiwin Integrated Traffic Unit

• Semi truck rolled into the Battle River, resulting in 54,000 kg of meat being spilled and small amount of diesel fuel leaked. 
• Vehicle stopped for 150 Kph in the 110 zone, subject of interest for over 300,000 worth of cell phone thefts in Alberta.
• Form 21 warrant executed for $9,000

Innisfail integrated Traffic Unit

• Observed an elderly man traveling the wrong direction on QEII near Innisfail. Vehicle was stopped the vehicle and it was determined that the man was confused.  The driver requested to go to the hospital and was transported there.
• Vehicle stopped when a license plate not matching the vehicle description was observed.  The driver had multiple concurrent suspensions for impaired driving, demerits, and medical suspension.  The driver was charged with suspended driving, no insurance and no registration.
• Stopped a vehicle for speeding in Olds. Subsequent investigation found that there was open liquor in the vehicle, 1 ounce of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Man Arrested After Attempting to Evade Police in Stolen Vehicle (Innisfail)

A male from Calgary is facing multiple charges after fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle on the QEII Highway.

On April 8th, 2012 at 9:05 AM, members of the Innisfail Integrated Traffic Unit began receiving reports of a dangerous driver heading north on the QEII Highway approaching Innisfail. Callers were concerned as the vehicle, a dark blue pick-up truck, was speeding excessively, swerving and had hit the ditch at least twice.
The vehicle was intercepted by Sheriffs several minutes later, still traveling north on the highway. When the Sheriff attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver took off and exited the highway, continuing down a dirt road in excess of 160 km/h. The driver was able to temporarily evade police.
At 10:50 AM, Innisfail RCMP, with the assistance of the public, were able to locate the vehicle. It had become stuck on top of a hill in a field near Range Road 284. The driver of the truck had sought assistance from a nearby resident and called a tow truck. This prompted a call to police. When RCMP arrived at the truck, the male fled on foot. After a brief chase, the male was arrested and it was discovered that the truck was recently stolen from Calgary.

As a result of this, Kenneth Peter Robert NEPOOSE, 20, of Calgary has been charged with the following offences:

 
*Possession of stolen property over $5000
*Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
*Flight from police
*Having care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired
*Having care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired over .08
Theft
*Driving while unauthorized
*Operating an uninsured motor vehicle

NEPOOSE, who remains in custody is scheduled to appear in court later this week.

Peace River Integrated Traffic Unit
Peace River ITU was conducting patrols in the Hamlet of Marie Reine on April 8 when a vehicle was identified by radar traveling 127 km/h in the urban 50 km/h zone.  Driver was charged and provided a court appearance.  Marie Reine is approximately 15 km south of Peace River on Secondary Highway 744.

RCMP Red Deer City Investigates Assault; Four in Custody

On April 9, 2012 at approximately 11:25 pm Red Deer City RCMP responded
to a report of an assault in progress near the 5000 block of 49th Street
in Red Deer.  A 33 year old man was violently attacked by four males.
He was stabbed, punched and kicked repeatedly.  All four suspects were
arrested, and remain in police custody.

The victim was taken to Red Deer Regional Hospital, where he remains
with multiple injuries.

The investigation is continuing.


RCMP Taber/Vauxhall Check stop near Hays

On Sunday night at approximately 7pm Taber/Vauxhall members set up a check stop on Highway 524 near Hays Ab as there was a large amount of Traffic coming from a party that had been in the Rolling Hills area. There were multiple 24 hour Licence suspension, GDL licence suspensions and liquor tickets issued.

The Taber/Vauxhall RCMP would like to remind the Public that the legal drinking age is 18 and that Impaired driving is a serious offence which could result in a year Driving Prohibition, Thousand's of Dollars in fines as well as getting a Criminal Record. Impaired Driving does not only affect the offending driver but the other users of the Highway who are expecting to get home safe and shouldn't have to pay for the offending driver's choice to get behind the wheel. No amount of liquor is "safe", as everyone's tolerance is different. If you hold a GDL licence, there is zero tolerance for consumption before driving, which means even a couple sips of an alcoholic beverage and you will lose your licence automatically for a month.


If anyone has any questions about Impaired Driving or the GDL licence program, please call Taber/Vauxhall RCMP at 403-223-4447.


Grande Prairie collision between young boy and pickup truck

Grande Prairie RCMP are investigating a collision between a young boy and a pick up truck which occurred at 4:45 p.m. today, on Mission Heights Drive near 73 Avenue.

Reportedly a male (believed to be between 7-9 years of age), had run onto the street from between 2 parked cars into the path of a Dodge Ram truck.

The boy sustained what is believed to be non-life threatening injuries, but was transported by air to an Edmonton area hospital as a precaution.

Police continue to investigate the collision.

Red Deer Rural, Alberta April 6, 2012
Two Girls Taken to Hospital After Falling Through Ice


On April 6, 2012 at approximately 1020 a.m., Red Deer Rural RCMP received a request for assistance at a rural property south and west of Red Deer.

Family members discovered the sisters, ages 3 and 5, had fallen through ice in a small body of water on the property.  Both children were transported to hospital.  The 3 yr old girl has subsequently died.

The incident was considered to be of a non-suspicious nature.