A police pursuit near MacDowall Tuesday has led to the arrest of two people. (Charlene Tebbutt/ paNOW Staff)

By paNOW Staff

Police Pursuit update

RCMP release more details about police pursuit

Mar 13, 2019 | 2:01 PM

RCMP are releasing more details following the arrest of two people Tuesday afternoon south of the city where a police vehicle was damaged in a vehicle pursuit.

Police said in a media release Wednesday that the incident started around noon on a rural road near MacDowall. Officers located a white truck trying to pull a vehicle out of the ditch.

Suspecting the white truck was one that was reported stolen earlier in the day, officers approached, but the driver drove away and ignored a police request to stop. The driver of the white truck then pulled into a yard site and started heading toward the police vehicle, but then veered around it and turned southbound onto Highway 11. The truck then came to an abrupt stop and backed into the police truck with enough forced to deploy the passenger air bag and disable the vehicle.

A search for the white truck began with support coming from RCMP detachments in Prince Albert, Shellbrook, Wakaw, Rosthern and Blaine Lake. Members with the Prince Albert Police Service were stationed at the city limits and the Saskatoon Police Air Support Unit and Provincial Response Team were called in to assist.

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“In this case, with the Provincial Response Team, with their knowledge of the back roads and some of the side roads in that area, was also a huge factor in being able to stop this vehicle,” Cpl. Rob King with Saskatchewan RCMP said.

RCMP said a member of the PRT team eventually spotted the white truck north of Duck Lake. Saskatoon Air Support Services then located the vehicle as well, sending information to police units on the ground. RCMP say its divisional communications centre was also heavily involved in the search, directing all responding units to the area.

“They were able to see where all the members were, overlay it onto the map, and be able to direct everyone into an area … their knowledge, along with Saskatoon Air Services was able to bring this to a successful conclusion,” King said.

Police deployed a spike belt, which was successful, although the two people in the vehicles then pulled into a farm yard and tried to steal another vehicle. A man and woman were arrested in the incident, and a loaded .22 calibre rifle was recovered. Police believe the rifle was thrown from the truck during the police pursuit.

Police say the matter is still under investigation and charges are pending.

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow