By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

LACOMBE RESIDENT WITNESSES INCIDENT

Three arrests made after lengthy pursuit on the QEII

Dec 1, 2019 | 10:59 AM

A litany of charges are pending against three people following a dangerous incident on the QEII Friday night.

RCMP say around 7:40 in the evening of Nov. 29, Leduc members were called out to the Premium Outlet Collection Mall where a woman had been assaulted and had her purse stolen.

Shortly thereafter, around 8:40 p.m., police were called to a robbery at a liquor store in Millet. Two suspects allegedly entered the store with a gun and demanded money. Victims of both crimes reported to police that suspects fled in a grey Ford F150 truck.

Once police determined the same people were responsible for each incident, they came upon the suspect vehicle en route to the liquor store and began a pursuit.

The truck was pursued onto the QEII south of Leduc where police deployed a spike belt. Although it caused the truck to lose all four tires, the suspects continued driving northbound at low speed with only tire rims. The truck then crossed over the median into the southbound lanes and crashed into a semi-tractor trailer.

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After the collision, three people got out of the F150 and fled on foot, though two were apprehended by police quite quickly. The third suspect, seeing that the driver of the semi had exited his vehicle, hopped in and fled.

Police then pursued the semi for about 25 kilometres, during which time the semi crossed the median and briefly drove northbound in the southbound lanes. It then crossed back over the median to drive north on the proper side of the highway.

The truck eventually came to a stop when its brakes locked. Police immediately apprehended the suspect without further incident.

Thankfully, no one was injured during the pursuit.

Melissa Jukic, a Lacombe resident, witnessed the incident and was caught in the middle of it at one point.

“I was headed home and my vehicle was the only one caught in the barricade,” Jukic says. “There was at least 20 RCMP officers around, some following the semi and others waiting for the suspect up ahead. He was close to taking out my SUV that was left partially on the highway.”

Jukic and her son eventually made their way with other vehicles onto Menaik Road near Wetaskiwin.

“I was not able to speak for about 20 minutes. My vision became blurry and my adrenaline was through the roof,” she admits. “We hid down a gravel road so I could try to understand what just happened and hold my son.”

RCMP say the arrests of the two males and one female are thanks to the quick actions and coordinated efforts of members from Maskwacis, Wetaskiwin and Leduc RCMP, as well as Central Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit.

Charges are yet to be sworn, but an update is expected once that happens.