Two Calgarians face drug trafficking charges following an RCMP investigation spurred by an SUV driving at night with no headlights on Highway 22 near Cochrane, Alta.
RCMP officials confirm the Mazda SUV was spotted by officers at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday travelling northbound on the highway near George Fox Trail. Police pursued and determined the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Calgary.
According to Mounties, the driver of the stolen vehicle nearly caused a head-on collision with an RCMP unit and officers witnessed a number of items being thrown from the SUV.
A tire deflation device was deployed and the SUV eventually stopped in Cochrane’s Heartland neighbourhood.
The passenger attempted to run off but was immediately apprehended by police.
Police say the man behind the wheel attempted to drive away but crashed the SUV into a pedestrian walkway fence and was arrested.
Officers searched for the items thrown from the SUV and recovered illicit drugs, including crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as stolen tools and articles of clothing.
Two Calgary men — 41-year-old Dereck McInnis and 43-year-old Jason Wilkening — face charges of:
- possession for the purpose of trafficking
- possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- flight from a peace officer
McInnis faces an additional charge of resisting a peace officer.
Both of the accused remain in custody ahead of their respective Cochrane provincial court appearances scheduled for mid-September.
At the time of his arrest, Wilkening was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for breaching probation.