A man is under arrest and an RCMP officer has been released from hospital with minor injuries after being dragged by a pickup truck while trying to arrest the driver in Edson, Alta. on Wednesday.
According to police, Mounties received a complaint of a suspicious person and vehicle near 55 Street and 6 Avenue. Officers in the area later spotted a vehicle matching the description leaving the scene and followed it to a gas station. That’s when police say an officer went up to the pickup truck to try and arrest the driver, whom they said had outstanding warrants.
The RCMP said during the arrest, the driver reversed the truck and dragged the officer until the truck collided with another vehicle. The officer who was dragged was then able to get away and the vehicle left the gas station area. Police later found the truck driving north on 56 Street and blocked an intersection to try and stop the driver.
“It is believed the driver purposefully accelerated and struck the occupied police vehicle,” the RCMP said in a news release Wednesday night. “The collision stopped the flight of the suspect vehicle.”
The driver of the truck that allegedly rammed police was arrested on eight outstanding warrants and is now in custody awaiting a bail hearing. Police said a female passenger was also taken into custody but was later released without being charged.
Police said they expect to lay new charges against the man in custody.
The RCMP said their investigation into what happened is ongoing and they are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to call the Edson RCMP detachment at 780-723-8800.