Two men and one woman have been arrested following a dangerous driving incident which stretched throughout east Calgary and into Chestermere, AB, for several hours. .“These individuals drove in a manner that put the public at serious risk,” said Calgary Police Service (CPS) District 4 Insp. Joel Matthews in a Tuesday press release. .“In my mind, this type of incident is one of the most dangerous that the public and police can face.”.CPS said officers in the 900 block of 43 St. SE on Monday at 3:40 p.m. observed a white 2006 GMC Sierra truck with a mismatched licence plate. Officers attempted a traffic stop on the truck, which fled through a four-way stop sign eastbound on 16 Ave. at 44 St. SE at a high rate of speed. .Officers did not pursue the vehicle at that time and requested assistance from CPS's Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWCS). .CPS said officers attempted another stop on the vehicle as it was travelling southbound on Stoney Trail around 4 p.m., approaching 61 Ave. SE. It added the truck fled at speeds estimated at around 150 km/h. .Patrol officers disengaged while HAWCS continued to follow the vehicle from the air. .The vehicle travelled into Chestermere around 6:45 p.m., and CPS worked with the RCMP to attempt to stop it using a tire-deflation device. The truck fled with damage to one tire, heading back to Calgary. .While in motion, a male passenger made his way into the bed of the truck and used a jerry can to refuel it. He re-entered its cab while it fled with HAWCS following it. .Patrol officers re-engaged with the vehicle with lights and sirens on 52nd St. near 17 Ave. SE. The vehicle failed to stop, accelerated away, dangerously passed other vehicles, drove the wrong way in oncoming traffic, caused other motorists to have to take evasive action, and ran multiple red lights. .CPS estimated the truck reached speeds of 160 km/h on Stoney Trail while missing a front tire. .Police used vehicle-based tactics to stop the truck westbound on 16 Ave. on the approach to 52nd St. NE around 7:30 p.m. The male driver and male and female passengers were arrested. .CPS determined the truck and licence plate were stolen. .Calgary resident Sebastian Thomas Tait, 28, has been charged with one count each of flight from a police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, driving while prohibited, and driving an uninsured and unregistered motor vehicle on a highway and eight counts of failure to comply with a release order..At the time of the incident, Tait was bound by conditions of house arrest and a Canada-wide driving prohibition..He remains in custody and will next appear in court on August 9. .The male passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Calgary resident Joshua Robert George Yardley, 36, was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and released from custody pending his next court appearance..Calgary resident Melissa Lynn Lewis, 39, was arrested on 10 outstanding warrants for possession of stolen property, using a forged document, possession of drugs, and failing to attend court. Lewis was released from custody and will next appear in court on August 15. .“It was imperative to stop the driver as safely as possible and I commend our officers, and those of the RCMP, who put an end to this dangerous event,” said Matthews.
Two men and one woman have been arrested following a dangerous driving incident which stretched throughout east Calgary and into Chestermere, AB, for several hours. .“These individuals drove in a manner that put the public at serious risk,” said Calgary Police Service (CPS) District 4 Insp. Joel Matthews in a Tuesday press release. .“In my mind, this type of incident is one of the most dangerous that the public and police can face.”.CPS said officers in the 900 block of 43 St. SE on Monday at 3:40 p.m. observed a white 2006 GMC Sierra truck with a mismatched licence plate. Officers attempted a traffic stop on the truck, which fled through a four-way stop sign eastbound on 16 Ave. at 44 St. SE at a high rate of speed. .Officers did not pursue the vehicle at that time and requested assistance from CPS's Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWCS). .CPS said officers attempted another stop on the vehicle as it was travelling southbound on Stoney Trail around 4 p.m., approaching 61 Ave. SE. It added the truck fled at speeds estimated at around 150 km/h. .Patrol officers disengaged while HAWCS continued to follow the vehicle from the air. .The vehicle travelled into Chestermere around 6:45 p.m., and CPS worked with the RCMP to attempt to stop it using a tire-deflation device. The truck fled with damage to one tire, heading back to Calgary. .While in motion, a male passenger made his way into the bed of the truck and used a jerry can to refuel it. He re-entered its cab while it fled with HAWCS following it. .Patrol officers re-engaged with the vehicle with lights and sirens on 52nd St. near 17 Ave. SE. The vehicle failed to stop, accelerated away, dangerously passed other vehicles, drove the wrong way in oncoming traffic, caused other motorists to have to take evasive action, and ran multiple red lights. .CPS estimated the truck reached speeds of 160 km/h on Stoney Trail while missing a front tire. .Police used vehicle-based tactics to stop the truck westbound on 16 Ave. on the approach to 52nd St. NE around 7:30 p.m. The male driver and male and female passengers were arrested. .CPS determined the truck and licence plate were stolen. .Calgary resident Sebastian Thomas Tait, 28, has been charged with one count each of flight from a police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, driving while prohibited, and driving an uninsured and unregistered motor vehicle on a highway and eight counts of failure to comply with a release order..At the time of the incident, Tait was bound by conditions of house arrest and a Canada-wide driving prohibition..He remains in custody and will next appear in court on August 9. .The male passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Calgary resident Joshua Robert George Yardley, 36, was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and released from custody pending his next court appearance..Calgary resident Melissa Lynn Lewis, 39, was arrested on 10 outstanding warrants for possession of stolen property, using a forged document, possession of drugs, and failing to attend court. Lewis was released from custody and will next appear in court on August 15. .“It was imperative to stop the driver as safely as possible and I commend our officers, and those of the RCMP, who put an end to this dangerous event,” said Matthews.
