A man is facing charges after a string of events in a short period of time Monday night sent one woman to hospital and saw damage done in a number of west Edmonton locations.
It began shortly after 11 p.m., when police were called to a home near 171 Street and 69 Avenue. They were told a 30-year-old woman had been assaulted by two men who had left the scene in a truck.
“EMS did respond and treat the female on scene for non-life-threatening injuries,” Edmonton Police Service (EPS) spokesperson Carolin Maran said.
“The two males and the female were reportedly known to one another. Police do not believe this was a random attack.”
Less than 10 minutes later, police were called to another assault near 69 Avenue and 184 Street. A woman in her 60s had stopped at a four-way stop when a vehicle came from behind and hit the side of her van, and then continued on.
The woman, who does not wish to be identified, told Global News the vehicle that hit her crossed the median and came back toward her. She said it pulled up near her and the driver got out. She assumed he wanted to exchange information, so she started getting out of her vehicle.
She said he grabbed her driver’s door and started slamming it against her. After a short time, he began punching her in the face, she said. He stopped and took off and she called the police while driving home. Her son brought her to hospital, where she was treated and released.
A few minutes after the second attack, police were called about a possible impaired driver near 164 Street and 87 Avenue.
Then, they heard about a man going into a business in the area, yelling at the people inside and taking merchandise without paying for it.
A truck matching the description of the one they had been looking for hit a parked car, ran over a sign, and almost hit a couple of pedestrians. It was then seen heading north on 170 Street, running several red lights.
The truck went into a parking lot at Mayfield Road and 109 Avenue and jumped several curbs.
Another police car was dispatched and the truck took off again, heading north on Mayfield, then east on 111 Avenue. AIR-One started following it from the sky.
Police with the canine unit used what police are calling “a direct contact maneuver” to stop a heavily damaged truck at 153A Street and 110 Avenue.
A man was arrested without further incident.
A second man is being sought in connection with the first incident.
Jesse Bergstrom, 34, is charged with assault causing bodily harm, assault, mischief, theft under $5,000, three counts of hit and run, criminal flight, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and impaired operation of a motor vehicle.