By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Red Deer man charged in October stolen truck chase where police fired shots

Apr 25, 2018 | 4:08 PM

A young Red Deer man has been formally charged in relation to a series of events last fall that included police firing shots toward a stolen vehicle.

It was on Friday, Oct. 13 when Sundre RCMP received numerous complaints of erratic driving and threatening behaviour involving a stolen vehicle. A civilian was injured after the vehicle they were driving was rammed by the suspect vehicle.

The suspect vehicle was later spotted in Rocky Mountain House but attempts to stop it were unsuccessful. Then around 4:25 p.m., Sylvan Lake RCMP tried to stop it along Aspelund Road near Highway 20. A spike-belt was deployed successfully at that point but the suspect vehicle turned around, resulting in an officer discharging his firearm.

Two of the three suspects are then accused of running-off and breaking into a residence where a family with young children were inside, stealing the occupants cell phones. Following that, the two suspects broke into an unoccupied adjacent farm house and stole keys and a pick-up truck. RCMP then blocked the stolen truck but had their vehicle rammed, resulting in officers firing their guns. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) continues to investigate.

RCMP have now charged Dakota Cornelssen, 20, of Red Deer with eight counts including break and enter, possession of property obtained by crime, flight from police, dangerous driving and resisting or willfully obstructing a peace officer.

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Cornelssen is due to appear in Red Deer Provincial Court on May 8.

This is just the latest in a series of arrests for Cornelssen for incidents involving stolen vehicles and police chases which date back to 2015 (see related stories below). During a court appearance in Sept. 2016, Cornelssen described himself as an “adrenaline junkie” who “enjoys the thrill of a police chase.”

Shae Lee Phillips, 20, and Nicholas Wales, 20, were each charged after being arrested for the October incidents. In February, Wales was sentenced to 3.5 years behind bars while charges against Phillips were withdrawn.