A man has been charged with mischief after he drunkenly ran across the Athabasca River.
According to an Athabasca RCMP press release, police responded to a call in the early hours of Mar. 6 about a man yelling, screaming and causing a concern for the public in the downtown Athabasca area.
RCMP located the man and saw him run and scream across the Athabasca River, towards the wooded north shore.
The man appeared to be avoiding the officers, who were concerned that he was suffering from a medical issue or might become trapped in the ice of the river.
After about two hours of searching, RCMP found the man. He appeared to be intoxicated and was taken back to the detachment.
The man later recovered and was released from police custody with a mischief charge.
Police are reminding the public to stay cautious when travelling on any bodies of standing or moving water, given unseasonably warm temperatures and the potential for dangerously thin levels of ice on rivers and lakes.
