EDMONTON — A young man known to central Alberta RCMP was arrested and charged after allegedly stealing a truck and driving dangerously though Red Deer. Just before 1 a.m. Monday, Mounties spotted a dark Ford F350 speeding through red lights on 67 Street.
The truck did not stop when police approached it. RCMP did not begin a chase for safety reasons, instead choosing to set up a spike belt further down the road while continuing to track the truck.
Police said the vehicle was speeding and, at one point, crossed into oncoming traffic.
RCMP set up the spike belt at the intersection of Taylor Drive and 67 Street. While attempting to avoid the belt, the truck nearly hit an officer and ended up colliding with a police cruiser.
The truck then drove over the spike belt and came to a stop in a nearby parking lot, where police arrested the four people inside.
The three passengers were later released, while the driver was charged. Logan Nottal, 19, of Red Deer is charged with dangerous operation of motor vehicle, dangerous operation while being pursued by police, operating a vehicle while disqualified, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and driving an uninsured vehicle on a highway.
He remained in police custody and was set to appear in Red Deer court later Monday morning. The truck had been stolen out of Springbrook, a hamlet just south of Red Deer.
In August 2015 many of the same charges were laid against Nottal, who was 18 at the time.
On a Friday, July 31, police set up a check stop near a loud party in the McKenzie Trails nature area. Mounties said a black truck sped past several police vehicles that had their lights on. The truck hit two spike belts, but continued to drive away from police.
RCMP said the truck continued to speed through Red Deer on deflated tires, before being ditched on the east side of Red Deer. The driver and passenger ran away in a nearby wooded area, where the driver was eventually found with the help of RCMP police dogs. The passenger was never caught.
Nottal was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, operating a motor vehicle while being pursued by police, dangerous operation of motor vehicle, resisting/obstructing a peace officer, and three counts of failing to comply with undertaking.
The truck in the 2015 chase had been reported stolen from Sylvan Lake the day before.
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