INNISFAIL – Mounties have taken four suspected heavily armed criminals off the streets following a traffic stop over a stolen licence plate.
“The picture kind of speaks for itself. It was concerning – loaded weapons, an explosive device,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk. "Yes, I would agree. It is quite an arsenal and that is a concern for public safety and the police officers. We are happy the vehicle stop went without incident.”
Matechuk said the incident began during the early morning hours of Jan. 10 when local Mounties were on patrol. They observed a vehicle travelling west on 50th Street.
He said police database checks on the vehicle’s licence plate showed it had been reported stolen out of Red Deer.
Matechuk said Mounties monitored the movements of the vehicle, and conducted a traffic stop in the 4600 block of 47th Avenue.
He said while interacting with the occupants, one of the RCMP officers saw a firearm that one of the occupants was attempting to conceal.
Matechuk said all four occupants of the vehicle were arrested safely, with no injuries or property damage.
He said the vehicle was searched and police located three firearms, two of which were loaded and sawed off, along with a large quantity of various types of ammunition, several sets of brass knuckles, several knives, a conducted energy weapon, body armour, identity documents, a suspected explosive device and a quantity of a substance believed to be fentanyl. All the weapons, ammunition, along with the fentanyl, were seized.
The RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit was called in from Edmonton to safely check and deal with the explosive device, believed to be a pipe bomb.
A total of 73 charges relating to weapons, body armour, drugs, property and identity documents have been laid against:
• Amber Achtemichuk, 44, of Red Deer
• Kolton Dalkin, 23, of Red Deer
• Tyson Taylor, 18, of Rimbey
• Jonathan Wilson-Martin, 32, of Springbrook
Matechuk said all four accused were brought before a justice of the peace and were remanded into custody. Achtemichuk and Taylor were scheduled to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Jan. 11, while Dalkin and Wilson-Martin are scheduled to make their first appearance in Red Deer provincial court on Jan. 14.
