Two men from Edmonton were lucky to only be damp and cold after their outboard motor on their small aluminum fishing boat quit during a fishing trip on Buffalo Lake on Friday, Aug. 21.
When inclement weather rolled in, the lake got rather choppy, Stettler RCMP Cpl. Ryan Koehli explained. The two were in danger of capsizing or being swamped by the waves.
“We went out (to find them),” Koehli said. “It was a real safety concern.”
By the time police found the duo around 5 p.m., the wind had actually pushed them to shore between Boss Hill and Bar Harbour. Koehli said the two were lucky.
“They were out with good intentions,” he said, noting that the pair had a bailer and life jackets, and that alcohol wasn't an issue.
However, the two didn't have a set of paddles or oars, lights or a sound device, and weren't familiar with the lake. It made it harder to be located when they weren't able to say where they were when they phoned for help, and made it pure luck they were blown to shore.
Rural break-ins stop
RCMP received several concerned calls about rural break-ins after the Independent reported thefts by a brazen bunch of men who would steal right in front of the owners.
Police are happy to report that the rural break-ins seem to have died down, but it's important for people to remember to remain aware of their surroundings and to lock up when out of the home.
An incident near Boss Hill saw the sign, mail boxes and property of a rural property owner vandalized after someone chose to shoot the property with a shot-gun.
“Mischief can quickly become (more serious charges),” Koehli noted, especially if a person ends up being wounded. “This is a serious concern.”
Traffic stop ends with officer assaulted
A routine traffic stop by the Integrated Traffic Unit, which is based in Stettler, ended up in a chase, arrest, and assault on an officer on Thursday, Aug. 20.
Police signalled a vehicle to pull over around 10 p.m. on Highway 56, south of Big Valley, but the vehicle did not stop and instead drove away, turning onto a rural route.
Police followed, and the road ended up being a dead end. Three people were found in the vehicle, including the 29-year-old woman driver, a 35-year-old man, and a 45-year-old man. All three are from Drumheller.
The driver refused to provide a roadside breath sample, and was arrested on charges of flight from a peace officer, refusal to provide a breath sample and impaired driving.
Her companions were also arrested on charges of flight from a peace officer, though charges were later dropped in the case of the 35-year-old, who had not been driving and was co-operative.
The three were taken by police to the Stettler detachment when an altercation broke out.
The 35-year-old man kicked the window of the RCMP cruiser, breaking it, and both he and the 29-year-old woman caused damage to detachment property.
By the end of the night, the 29-year-old also faced a charge of mischief, and the 45-year-old man faced charges of mischief and assault of a peace officer.
Further charges are likely pending, Koehli said, as it's expected there may be failures to comply with conditions or probation.
Youth held after domestic dust-up
A 17-year-old girl will be appearing in youth court in Red Deer on Thursday, Aug. 27 after police received calls about a domestic situation.
The girl and her boyfriend, a 19-year-old man, were separated and the girl was charged with two counts of possessing a contraband substance and four counts of failure to comply with conditions.
She is being held in custody until her appearance in court, Koehli reported.
Collision brings STARS in
A collision on Township Road 835 between two vehicles required STARS to airlift a woman to hospital with serious life-threatening injuries.
Five people were involved in the Aug. 23 crash at an intersection just before Rochon Sands.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing, with support from collision reconstructionists, Koehli noted. Charges are pending the result of the investigation.
If you have information about the crimes listed above or any others, phone Stettler RCMP at 403-742-3382, or remain anonymous through Crime Stoppers at 1-888-222-TIPS (8477).