CARSTAIRS – A 35-year-old man facing more than a dozen charges after several RCMP cruisers were rammed during a highway pursuit on July 29 has been ordered detained and scheduled to be back in court next week.
Didsbury RCMP officers responded to a report of a suspicious person in a vehicle outside a Carstairs residence, said RCMP Cpl. Tammy Keibel.
When officers arrived, the adult male suspect fled on foot and then broke into a nearby residential garage where he started a van in the building.
“Police were in the driver’s seat attempting to remove the suspect while the van exited the garage at a high rate of speed, striking the garage,” said Keibel.
“The suspect broke free of police, driving the van eastbound on Highway 581 and continuing southbound on Highway 2. The suspect was crossing the centre median and travelling southbound in the northbound lane, which forced multiple vehicles to leave the roadway (to) avoid head-on collision,” she said.
A police roadblock was set up near the Highway 72 overpass.
“Entering the roadblock, the suspect made an evasive move, colliding with several police vehicles before entering the ditch,” she said. The suspect was then arrested.
Three RCMP officers were also assessed by EMS at the scene, with two of the officers having suffered minor injuries.
Kyle Robert Meckler, 35, of Sylvan Lake faces 18 charges, including break and enter into a dwelling, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance, and flight from peace officer.
He will be in Calgary provincial court on Aug.18 for plea.
Police are asking anyone with dash camera footage of the incident to contact Didsbury RCMP at 403-335-3381 or any other RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers.
