A 25-year-old Medicine Hat man faces multiple charges following a two-hour police pursuit that involved a spike belt and a damaged cruiser early Tuesday morning.
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Lloydminster RCMP say officers responded to a complaint of a suspected impaired driver at about 1 a.m. on Aug. 18. Members attempted to pull the vehicle over on Highway 16 on the east side of the city, but the driver refused to stop and fled.
During the multi-hour investigation, police deployed a tire deflation device to slow the vehicle down. When the driver continued fleeing, officers executed a tactical vehicle contact to force a stop. The suspect vehicle rammed one police cruiser during the incident.
No officers or members of the public were injured.
Taylor Burke was arrested and charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, flight from a peace officer, refusal to comply with a lawful demand and assaulting a police officer with a weapon.
Burke was remanded into custody after appearing before a justice of the peace. He is scheduled to appear in Saskatchewan Provincial Court in Lloydminster on Aug. 24.
“The RCMP recognizes that police pursuits and attempts to stop fleeing vehicles can present significant risks to the public,” Sgt. Christopher Byford said in a statement. “Officers continually assess the circumstances and utilize available tactics and resources with the safety of the public, police officers and the suspect as a priority.”
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