An 18-year-old man faces a long list of charges following a high-speed police chase that started near Gibbons and weaved its way though Westlock before ending in Barrhead.
The June 5 pursuit began after police fired on a stolen black Dodge Ram that fled a combined RCMP and ALERT taskforce near Gibbons.
When the long chase came to an end, RCMP from Westlock, Morinville, Barrhead and an Edmonton police helicopter and ALERT officers had arrested three people, although only an 18-year-old man has been charged.
He now faces an extensive list of charges including assaulting a police officer with a weapon, possession of a prohibited firearm, as well as other firearm offences, possession of stolen property, theft of a vehicle, hit and run, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, possession of stolen property, dangerous driving and multiple traffic offences.
Along with the alleged offenders name and age, police were able to only confirm that two other people, a man and woman, were arrested and released without charge. Because a police officer discharged a weapon, the RCMP Major Crimes Unit is overseeing the investigation.
“One of our officers took the action of discharging his firearm,” confirmed K Division RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Josee Valiquette.
“Because this is under investigation we wouldn’t be able to provide what exactly lead to that in detail.”
Police were unable to confirm other information obtained by the Westlock News about the details of the chase. The chase began when the suspect and a female passenger fled from the Gibbons area.
Officers from Westlock RCMP Detachment, who were in Clyde attending an unrelated armed robbery, were brought into the operation initially as they were searching east of the village along Highway 18.
Police relocated the suspect west of Clyde near Highway 18 and pursued the vehicle toward Westlock.
Once in town the truck twisted in and out of busy Friday afternoon traffic at high speeds, including through the crowded intersection of Highways 18 and 44.
At some point between Westlock and Barrhead the suspect stole another truck, a GMC Sierra belonging to a Neerlandia-area company and was separated from the female passenger
While travelling through Barrhead the now lone male suspect dumped the second stolen truck at the A&W on 49th Street and ran towards the Barrhead Healthcare Centre.
The teenager was arrested somewhere between 49th and 48th Streets in Barrhead.
Taylor Tobin, 18, of no fixed address will be in Morinville Provincial Court June 11 and faces a range of offences.
