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Drunken joyride in stolen truck leads to charges

An 18-year-old Stettler man is likely rueing his decision to steal a truck and take it for a ride through Stettler and Lacombe.

An 18-year-old Stettler man is likely rueing his decision to steal a truck and take it for a ride through Stettler and Lacombe after the choice netted him a bevy of charges to which he must now answer.

The man, who according to Stettler RCMP Cpl. Cameron Russell is "well known to police," allegedly stole a white Ford pickup truck in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 5.

Police received complaints of a dangerous driver in a white truck, swerving and driving erratically, but were unable to locate the vehicle while patrolling the area in which the activity was reported.

"We couldn't find him because he'd gone to Lacombe," Russell said.

Lacombe Police spotted the vehicle, which was still driving erratically, and signalled the vehicle to stop, but the driver instead led police on a chase.

The chase ended in a parking lot where the driver allegedly crashed the truck into several parked vehicles, damaging it enough that he couldn't continue. With police closing in, the suspect exited the vehicle and ran for it, shortly thereafter being arrested by police.

The accused is now facing a charge each of impaired driving, dangerous driving, possession of stolen property greater than $5,000 and failure to comply with conditions.

 

Spike in domestic violence

Stettler RCMP had a busy week, responding to 10 domestic violence incidents, a number that Russell said was a "spike."

"We are always dealing with domestic issues," he explained. "The number of calls is what's unusual."

Russell said the time of the year plays a factor in an increase in calls, though the number last week was unusual.

"A lot of families are going on vacation, and they're spending more time together," Russell said. "And other families can't, and that sometimes causes issues."

Russell said that a lot of the domestic issues happen between couples who've already had run-ins with the law, and have been ordered to stay away from each other. For whatever reason, that doesn't seem to happen.

"People breach conditions all the time, getting in contact with the other party," he said. "That's a safety concern for all involved."

Domestic issues can vary in severity, from all-out violence between individuals to custody arguments.

"The RCMP is trying to mediate," Russell said.

For people in an abusive situation, and unsure what to do to change it, Russell said the supports are there in the community.

"There's Heartland Victim Services," he said, explaining that the organization, which runs out of the RCMP detachment but is not affiliated with police, has a long list of contacts and programs to assist people trying to leave abusive situations.

"You can also call us," he said. "If you think someone's being abused, call us and tell us what's going on."

The RCMP's administrative line, which is used for non-emergency calls, can be dialed at 403-742-3382.

 

Summer Road Safety

The Town of Stettler has erected digital speed signs in West Stettler Park in the hopes of slowing down motorists in the kid-frequented area, Russell said.

The speed limit on the road that runs along the baseball fields, the skate park, and the Rotary Spray Park is 30km/h, slower than the 50km/h found elsewhere in town.

"This is nothing new," Russell said. "This has always been the speed limit here. With so many kids at the skate park, and then little kids at the spray park down the road, it's important people slow down."

In addition to the speed signs, Stettler's Integrated Traffic Unit (ITU) is on the road, focusing on motorcyclists for motorcycle month.

"They'll be looking for motorcycle safety issues," Russell said.

With the nicer weather now warming the prairies, the number of motorcycles on the road has risen significantly, something of which drivers of other vehicles should be aware.

The smaller vehicles are harder to see in blind spots and intersections, so being aware of the increase of two-wheeled vehicles on the road can make all the difference.