Policing in Alberta to January 9, 2014

• Solicitor General issues statement in response to RCMP incident east of Edmonton

• Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision on Highway 25
• Olds area collison results in 3 fatalities
• Update: Warner attempted murder suspect in custody
• Fort Saskatchewan investigation nets drugs, cash, guns
• Break and Enter to Hinton Pawn Shop

Solicitor General issues statement in response to RCMP incident east of Edmonton

Justice Minister and Solicitor General Jonathan Denis issued the following statement in response to the incident east of Edmonton that left two members of the RCMP injured.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all officers involved in the incident that occurred last night and into the early hours of this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with the two injured officers and their families, and I wish them both full recoveries from their injuries.

“I commend the incredible work of our law enforcement officers and the tremendous sacrifices they make every day to keep our communities safe.”

Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision on Highway 25

Last night, January 8th, 2014 at approximately 6:00 p.m. Picture Butte RCMP attended a single vehicle motor vehicle accident. The incident occurred 5 km North of Picture Butte, Alberta on Highway 25. Picture Butte ambulance service also attended the scene.

The driver, lone occupant, of a pick up truck, encountered icy road conditions. The driver lost control and rolled into the ditch. The driver, was ejected from the vehicle. Picture Butte ambulance transported the victim to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The 19 year old male driver was from the Picture Butte area. Police continue to investigate the incident. Alcohol is not considered a factor in this event.

Olds area collison results in 3 fatalities

On January 6, 2014 Olds area emergency services responded to a two vehicle head-on motor vehicle collision near Olds, Alberta. The lone occupant of an Acura SUV was found deceased on scene. The other vehicle, a Ford Freestar, had six occupants and the driver and a rear passenger were deceased at the scene. The other four occupants of the vehicle were transported to area hospitals and all are in stable condition and believed to make full recoveries.

The investigation is on-going and no determination has been made on the cause of the collision.

Update: Warner attempted murder suspect in custody

Milk River RCMP, with the assistance of the Lethbridge RCMP Forensic Identification Section and the RCMP Calgary General Investigation Section, are currently investigating what is believed to be an attempted murder which occurred in the early hours of December 28th, 2013 in Warner, Alberta.

Multiple gunshots were fired into an occupied residence while the victims were asleep. No one was injured in the shooting, and the event is not believed to be random.

Kenneth Barry Wallage was arrested on Saturday January 4th in Calgary on his outstanding warrants for two counts of Attempted Murder (S.239(1)(A.1) Criminal Code). As a result of the ongoing investigation he has also been charged with:

Discharging a firearm into an occupied residence S. 244.2 Criminal Code
Theft of a motor vehicle S.333.1 Criminal Code

Mr. Wallage is currently remanded in custody. He will appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court for a bail hearing on Friday January 10, 2014 at 9:30 AM.

The vehicle in question has also been recovered.

Fort Saskatchewan investigation nets drugs, cash, guns

On January 3rd, 2014 the Fort Saskatchewan General Investigation Section "GIS" concluded a drug trafficking investigation that resulted in numerous charges against two Fort Saskatchewan males and one female. Seized during the search warrant was a significant amount of cocaine, ketamine, marihuana, and cash. In addition Fort Saskatchewan GIS seized 3 prohibited weapons from the residence including a modified shotgun.

Cody Osterland (20), Darcy Chykerda (20) and a youth female stand charged with 1 count each of Possession of Cocaine for the Purposes of Trafficking, Possession of ketamine for the Purposes of Trafficking, Possession of Marihuana for the Purposes of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Crime Under $5000, as well as numerous weapons charges including possession of a Prohibited Weapon.

Cody Osterland and Darcy Chykerda are remanded into custody until their next court date on January 9th, 2014.

Break and Enter to Hinton Pawn Shop

On Sunday December 15, 2013 at approximately 2:30 AM, a male was witnessing breaking into the front door of the Pawn Shop located on Pembina Avenue in Hinton, AB. The male was described as:

• 5’10”-6’0” in height, average weight/build;
• Dark hair;
• Wearing grey pants, black hoodie and a dark hat.

The male was seen leaving the store on foot west bound on Pembina Ave then turning south down the back alley at Piet Steen Building.
Some of the items believed to have been stolen by the suspect are:

• Sony X Peria J cellphone;
• Various jewelry items mainly gold chains and rings.

Hinton RCMP is asking anyone who may have witnessed this event or with information about this crime to call the Hinton RCMP detachment at 780-865-5544 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.