A Red Deer man and a youth were charged following a two vehicle-crash near Sylvan Lake last week.
Police arrived on the scene near the intersection of Highway 11 and Range Road 20 west of Sylvan Lake at around 9:30 a.m. last Thursday.
Before arriving, they were told that one of the vehicles involved, a Chevrolet truck, had already fled and crashed through a number of barbed wire fences into a neighbouring field.
Upon their arrival, police were further advised that the truck had been abandoned by its occupants in a nearby field, and that its occupants had fled on foot.
Police were directed to an area where they located the truck’s two occupants and arrested them without further incident.
A police investigation revealed that the truck had been stolen in Leduc just two days earlier. Its licence plate was also found to have been stolen.
Police say the same truck evaded an Alberta Traffic Sheriff about an hour before the crash after it was clocked going over 150 km/h. A pursuit wasn’t initiated due to public safety concerns.
An ATV recently stolen from a home in Eckville was sitting in the truck at that time, and was abandoned near Half Moon Bay before the crash on Highway 11. Police say it’s since been recovered.
A police service dog conducted a search of and around the crash scene, as well as the scene around the abandoned truck. A sawed-off firearm — also stolen — was discovered.
The three occupants of the Dodge Dart with which the truck collided were taken to Red Deer Hospital to be treated for minor injuries. They’ve all since been released.
Dixon Ross Bergseth, 37, of Red Deer, was charged with flight from police, dangerous driving, failing to remain at a collision scene involving bodily harm, possession of stolen property over $5,000, three counts of possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm and unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm contrary to a weapons prohibition order.
A 17-year-old youth, who police say has ties to Red Deer and Sylvan Lake, was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, three counts of possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm, three counts of failing to comply with a youth probation order and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine).
Both were scheduled to make a court appearance in Red Deer on Monday.
Police are asking anyone who might have witnessed the crash or its related events to contact the Sylvan Lake RCMP detachment at 403-858-7200.