OLDS – An Innisfail man is facing 25 new Criminal Code charges after allegedly evading RCMP capture by smashing a stolen vehicle into a police cruiser and the town’s registries office.
At about noon hour on Aug. 10, Olds RCMP responded to a complaint of a possible fraud occurring at the registries office in the Town of Olds, said Olds RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald.
As officers arrived on scene, the suspect quickly entered a Jeep, which was later determined to have been stolen from the Three Hills area, said MacDonald, who is the detachment’s commanding officer.
He said the suspect drove the Jeep into the responding police vehicle, then into the registries office building as he fled from police at a high rate of speed.
MacDonald said the suspect was pursued by Olds RCMP officers through the town and then southbound onto Highway 2. As the pursuit continued south on the highway and through county roads, officers from Didsbury and Airdrie detachments, as well as Airdrie Traffic Services, were dispatched to assist, said MacDonald.
He said the pursuit, which lasted about one hour, ended when the Jeep became stuck as it drove through a wheat field east of Crossfield.
MacDonald said the suspect fled on foot but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit through the field. There were no injuries as a result of the actions of the suspect or the ensuing pursuit.
Bernard Michael Sontheim, 28, of Innisfail, has been charged with 25 Criminal Code offences, including assault with a weapon, resisting arrest, flight from police, dangerous driving, mischief, possession of stolen property, failing to comply with a recognizance and several fraud related offences. Arrest warrants were also executed for more than 60 offences committed in other locations around Alberta.
MacDonald said Sontheim has been remanded in custody to appear in Didsbury provincial court on Aug. 19.
He said police are continuing their investigation and are requesting anyone with information on the Aug. 10 incident to contact the Olds RCMP Detachment at 403-556-3324 or contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by internet at www.tipsubmit.com.
