SUNDRE — Two adults identified as being from Red Deer were arrested and charged following a string of nearby incidents that culminated in one of the suspects ramming a police cruiser in town in an attempt to flee.
During the late afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 12, the local RCMP detachment received a report from a resident in the Eagle Hill area of Mountain View County, reads a press release issued by Cpl. Joe Mandel on Thursday, Feb. 20.
The caller informed police that a suspicious man and woman, seen driving in a newer grey Jeep Wrangler, had arrived at her residence, claiming to be lost. The resident felt the situation was suspicious, said police, especially as the man asked whether he could purchase a length of rope. The exchange prompted her to call police.
Shortly after, the Sundre RCMP received another complaint from the Harmattan Youth Camp that someone had broken into the camp's office. The office sustained damage, and thieves attempted to remove a safe from the premise, according to police. But their efforts were unsuccessful, as some kind of cable or rope would have been required to complete the job, police said.
Police said the two occurrences were evidently related, so the Olds, Didsbury and Innisfail detachments were advised to be on the lookout for the Jeep and the two persons of interest.
Police received further reports of a suspicious man and woman in a grey Jeep prowling the area. One citizen was able to provide a licence plate number, which allowed police to follow up with the registered owner. Upon reaching the registered owner, officers discovered the plate had been stolen from a vehicle in Red Deer.
Police received another reported sighting of the two suspects later that evening at the Sundre A&W, but had departed the area by the time police arrived. Along with members of the Sundre Citizens on Patrol Association, officers continued the patrol around Sundre, police said.
At 11:30 p.m., members of the Sundre RCMP located the Jeep along with the occupants near Tall Timber. The male attempted to flee on foot while the female hastily attempted to speed away in the Jeep. The male was promptly apprehended by police without incident. But the female drove down a dead end street and after turning around headed directly towards officers, police reported.
The female attempted to drive through the police cruisers, in the process nearly running over the first arresting officer along with the male suspect. The female then drove into an arriving police vehicle, and the force of the ensuing collision pushed the Jeep onto a ditch windrow, effectively immobilizing the vehicle.
The female was subsequently taken into custody without further incident. Neither she nor the police officers on scene were injured. Police determined that the Jeep had been stolen from Blackfalds on Tuesday, Feb. 11. A search of the Jeep yielded what's believed to be methamphetamine as well as stolen property, including items from the Harmattan Youth Camp, said police.
“Over a couple of days, these two yahoos were on a drug-fuelled crime spree that spanned over several detachment areas and generated numerous occurrences, leaving several citizens victimized by their selfish ignorance and stupidity,” Cpl. Joe Mandel from the Sundre RCMP wrote in a press release.
“With the keen eye of residents and assistance from the Sundre Citizens on Patrol members, the Sundre detachment was successful in locating and taking these two clowns into custody.”
Ryan Gerald Wraight, 38, of Red Deer, was charged with more than 20 criminal offences that include possession of stolen property, misuse of credit cards, possession of drugs and failure to comply with a release order.
Jennifer Godfrey, 36, of Red Deer, was also charged with more than 20 criminal offences, including resisting arrest, fleeing from police, assault on a police officer, dangerous driving, impaired driving, possession of drugs and possession of stolen property.
Both of the accused were remanded into custody and are awaiting to speak to their charges in Didsbury provincial court.
