RCMP in northwestern Alberta have arrested and charged a man after a strange incident in Whitecourt that saw a victim of a hit-and-run stuck riding on the roof of a car.
Police said on Monday, May 2 at around 9 p.m., a rural homeowner approached a vehicle they didn’t know that was on their property.
After a brief conversation, the man driving the vehicle accelerated and hit the homeowner, who ended up on the roof of the car.
Police said the suspect drove, with the man still on the roof, from Range Road 123C on Highway 32 into the town of Whitecourt — about a six-kilometre trip.
In Whitecourt, the suspect vehicle then ended up driving in front of the RCMP detachment — where the victim was thrown off the roof. The man was taken to hospital, but has since been released.
On Tuesday, police issued a news release asking for help finding the older, blue Honda Civic coupe and driver believed to have been involved in the incident.
It was believed there was damage to the front bumper, a broken or missing driver’s side window, a burnt-out brake light and missing hubcap on the driver’s side.
On Wednesday, the RCMP said it had identified and arrested a man believed to responsible for the hit-and-run.
Claudio Foglia, 59, of Whitecourt was charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and failing to comply with an undertaking.
RCMP said Foglia has already appeared before a Justice and has been released on conditions to appear in Whitecourt Provincial Court on May 24 at 10 a.m.
— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News