By battlefordsNOW

Close call for RCMP pursuing alleged stolen taxi near Delmas

Apr 20, 2018 | 3:00 PM

It was a close call for police pursuing a stolen taxi near Delmas last week when shots fired hit the cruiser’s windshield.

Maidstone RCMP responded to the incident with the assistance of Battlefords RCMP and the local police dog services.  

“There was a definite risk of injury to our members for sure. They were being shot at,” Cpl. Rob King, an RCMP spokesperson based in Regina, said. “Members were following the van and it initiated a pursuit. It goes to show sometimes the level of danger you have when you may be dealing with someone… Thankfully no one was hurt.”

He said two distinct shots hit the windshield of the police vehicle.

As battlefordsNOW reported earlier, according to RCMP on April 14 Maidstone RCMP received a complaint of a theft from a gas station in Lashburn. The suspect’s vehicle, a black Dodge Caravan taxi cab van, also matched the description of a vehicle involved in an alleged robbery and assault with a weapon in Regina on April 13. Police initially located the suspect’s van on Highway 16 and activated their emergency equipment but the vehicle didn’t stop. RCMP then followed the vehicle eastbound on Highway 16, with the assistance of North Battleford RCMP and the police dog services.

Event Centre funding

City may hire lobbyist for event centre money

11h ago

International honours

Raiders' Kubiesa to represent Czechia at IIHF U18 Men's World Championship

15h ago

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

18h ago

King said the details about how the suspect’s vehicle was stopped is still under investigation but at one point the police vehicle rammed into the suspect’s vehicle and pushed it into the ditch.

The van stopped West of Delmas and its occupants fired shots toward the responding officers. An RCMP member then discharged their firearm in response.  

“In this case the members took in all the situational factors of the people around and the area, and the threats in which they were faced to come up with a response,” King said.

He confirmed the RCMP are conducting an internal review of the incident.

“At the end of the day, the police dog services went in to help assist with the arrest of the adult male and adult female,” King said. 

The RCMP report the woman received medical treatment for minor injuries as a result of the police dog services being used during the arrest. No RCMP members were injured as a result of this incident.

King said employees at the gas station in Lashburn “did the right thing” from the start when they called police following the alleged theft.

“We’re trained and equipped to deal with any situation that might develop,” he said. “This situation escalated rather quickly to the point of shots being fired at our members. We were extremely lucky that no one was hurt. Our members were not hurt and the suspects were not hurt.”

Accuseds facing charges

Verena Petruka, 30, of Melville, and Tristan Pinder, 19, of Elk Point, Alberta, are in custody facing a number of charges related to the incident. 

They will appear in North Battleford Provincial Court again on Monday.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

EDITOR’S NOTE: Commenting is closed as the matter is before the courts.