Editor’s note: RCMP had previously stated the man was from Lloydminster. This is a corrected story.
A 37-year-old North Battleford man is in custody after a Saskatchewan RCMP officer was run over Monday morning in a hit and run.
The member of the Blaine Lake RCMP detachment had stopped a truck on Highway 40, roughly 16 kilometres west of Richard, Sask., when the driver fled in the vehicle.
Investigators have determined the officer had been next to a police cruiser attempting to prevent the driver from fleeing. As the vehicle sped away, the member fell and was run over.
The officer was taken to hospital in North Battleford and has since been released. Police said the member’s injuries were not as serious as first believed considering how dangerous the situation was.
Battlefords RCMP located the white Ford F350 travelling at a high rate of speed on a grid road north of Speers at roughly 10:25 a.m. CT.
Police said the man was driving erratically and avoided tire deflation devices twice.
Several police vehicles were struck and damaged while the man was evading arrest. The pursuit was limited to grid roads in the area northwest of Speers and then west of Whitkow.
A third attempt to immobilize the truck resulted in one tired being deflated, however the man continued to drive on three tires.
He managed to get onto Highway 4, at which point, the pursuit was stopped due to the increased risk to public safety.
Other officers located the damaged vehicle entering Cochin where the driver parked at a gas station. Police said they arrested him while he was trying to steal another vehicle.
William Rhode has been charged with assaulting a police officer causing bodily harm, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and robbery.
He has been remanded into custody until his next court appearance.
The Ford F350 has been linked to a theft from Lloydminster on the afternoon of Sept. 30.
The investigation is ongoing.
Richard is roughly 105 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.