ELK POINT - A “trail of destruction during a multi-jurisdictional pursuit” is how RCMP are describing a series of events that unfolded in the Elk Point area on Feb. 8.
It began with a thief getting more than he bargained for when he stole a vehicle from an Elk Point gas station much to the surprise of the woman who was asleep in the back seat.
“Investigation determined that an adult victim had been sleeping in the backseat of a SUV when it was stolen. The victim awoke to see that a stranger was driving the SUV, she requested the suspect to stop, to which he did not. The victim was able to escape when the suspect reduced speed in an attempt to change his direction of travel,” according to a media release.
A suspect vehicle was located in Clandonald and police arrested three suspects they believe were connected to the theft of the SUV.
A short time later, RCMP responded to break-ins in Derwent, and a residence south of Beauvallon, where a suspect was reported to have “nearly struck” a resident.
“RCMP attended the residence and attempted to arrest the suspect who was in the process of stealing a pick-up truck from the garage. The suspect was able to evade arrest despite the use of a Conductive Energy Weapon(CEW) and proceeded to steal a SUV from the residence and departed the area,” according to the police report.
“RCMP continued to pursue the suspect to a third residence near Hwy. 870 and Hwy. 631. The suspect attempted to steal a pickup truck which was left running outside the shop. Pursuing RCMP members utilized vehicle contact to disable the stolen vehicle in effort to prevent the continuation of the ongoing offences and prevent further danger to the public.”
Police report that the suspect then “entered the shop and stole a fourth vehicle – a pickup truck with a utility trailer attached - that was parked inside. The suspect proceeded to ram police vehicles and escaped by driving through an exterior wall of the building.”
St. Paul RCMP members deployed a tire deflation device and were successful in stopping the vehicle near the Saddle Lake Cree Nation townsite.
As a result of the investigation, numerous charges have been laid against 26-year-old Preston Leon Halfe of Goodfish Lake. He is facing 22 criminal code offences, some of which include: kidnapping, six counts of theft of a motor vehicle, mischief – causing danger to life, two counts of break and enter to a residence, and three counts of mischief over $5,000.
RCMP state the suspect “put countless lives at risk on his criminal rampage today, victimizing numerous individuals along the way.”
St. Paul RCMP Sgt. Bobby Burgess said, “The suspect was highly motivated to evade police custody and our members did everything possible to prevent the continuation of the offenses, ensure public safety, and bring this series of events to a timely, safe conclusion.”
Additionally, Cormac Arden Crawford, 26, of St. Paul, Kiyana Diamond Hunter, 25, of Saddle Lake and Brittany Gosselin-Redcrow, 18 of St. Paul, have been charged with kidnapping and theft of a motor vehicle.
Crawford, Hunter and Halfe were all remanded in custody and are to appear next on Feb. 15, at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul. Gosselin-Redcrow was released from custody and is to appear next on Feb. 15, at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul.
