Cold Lake RCMP says a five-year-old girl has been killed and a 10-month-old boy injured after a hit-an-run, allegedly caused by ba local repeat offender.On Tuesday around 10 p.m., police were called to a motor vehicle collision on Hwy. 897 at the Beaver River Bridge, near Bonnyville. "Upon arrival, emergency responders treated the injured occupants of a minivan. A 5-year-old girl in the van was deceased, and the other occupants, a 10-month-old boy, their 27-year-old mom and a 30-year-old man were taken to hospital with various injuries," said RCMP in a Thursday statement.Police said the other vehicle involved in the deadly crash was a Ford F-350, which had been stolen three days prior in Lashburn, Saskatchewan.The suspect then fled the scene after stealing the vehicle of a Good Samaritan who had stopped to assist the victims of the crash.Around 11 p.m., police located the Good Samaritan's vehicle, which had been abandoned. Police then began doing a targeted patrol of local prolific offenders..Later that same night, about 1 a.m., police located a separate stolen vehicle with a shotgun inside in plain view at the residence of one of these prolific offenders.Ryan Mitchell Greer, a 34-year-old resident of Bonnyville, Alberta, has been charged with 11 counts; the counts include: • Fail to stop at accident scene causing death; • Fail to stop at accident scene causing bodily harm (x2); • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000; • Theft of a motor vehicle; • Failure to comply with probation order; • Unauthorized possession of a firearm; • Possession of a firearm contrary to order (x4)..According to the RCMP statement, Greer had a negative reputation in the local area, was known to local police, and was on bail for breaching a probation order.Police also stated that unrelated charges have also been laid against other residents in the house Greer was located in. These charges relate to stolen items that the RCMP found when conducting their initial search, not to the crash. “The initial efforts of our officers have not only led to the charges you see today but also produced a significant amount of evidence to support the investigation, the death of a child, “ says Supt. Tony Hanson.“The coordinated response starting with our Real Time Operations Centre utilizing our support units and detachments was crucial in the immediate apprehension of this suspect.”Names and further details about the victims have been withheld for privacy reasons.
