(Submitted photo/RCMP)

By Nicole Reis

Arrests

Alberta pair arrested as police seize multiple weapons

Jan 20, 2020 | 5:18 PM

Two people from Alberta are facing multiple charges after fleeing an officer on Saturday.

Loon Lake RCMP received a report from the Pierceland detachment about a suspicious man in a farm yard driving a grey SUV.

An officer found a truck that matched the description of the SUV on Highway 26, north of Loon Lake, but the driver did not pull over for the officer.

A short while later, the SUV and the man were seen at a gas station in Makwa Sahgaiehcan. The officer pulled in behind and arrested the male driver from the SUV.

While escorting the handcuffed man to the RCMP’s truck, the officer was struck from behind by a female passenger, police say. The officer took the man to the ground to keep control of him. Meanwhile, the woman ran back to the grey SUV and armed herself with a machete, police say.

Twist on a classic

Regina board game designer puts new spin on crokinole

4h ago

Spring in Saskatchewan

Calm, dry weather expected across much of Saskatchewan over Easter weekend

4h ago

Tribute projects

Progress on Humboldt Broncos memorial continues eight years after tragic crash

4h ago

(submitted photo/RCMP)

The woman entered the driver’s side of the SUV and accelerated at the officer who was still on the ground. The officer was able to move himself and the man to safety. The woman then tried to turn around and attempted to hit the officer with the vehicle again before losing control and colliding with the side of the gas station, causing significant damage.

Officers from the Prince Albert Crime Reduction Team, nearby detachments and EMS attended the scene to assist.

The officer was able to arrest both individuals without injury.

A search of the SUV resulted in the seizure of bolt cutters, multiple knives, a machete, six rifles, three semi-automatic handguns with five loaded magazines, bags of ammunition, a revolver, a black ski mask and leather gloves.

The man and woman have been identified as Stephane Joseph Leclerc, 50, and Jolene Nicole Sinclair, 35.

Both have been charged with multiple offences and will appear in court in Meadow Lake today.

Editor’s note: This story was amended Jan.24 to include new information from RCMP that the two people arrested were from Alberta. The original version of this story stated erroneously the pair were from Loon Lake.

Also, an initial RCMP report was amended to make it clear the arrests happened at Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, not in the community of Makwa as the initial RCMP media release stated.

—

nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722