Rimbey RCMP responded to more than 60 calls for service for the third week in a row. Highlights include careless use of a firearm, thefts, impaired drivers, suicide, uttering threats to kill, drugs, mental health and other criminal matters.
Yippee ki-yay
The week started with a bang — literally. Mounties responded to a complaint of an intoxicated man driving around in his farm tractor while shooting a shotgun randomly into the night air. Police arrested the man without incident and seized his firearms. He has been charged accordingly.
Copper stolen from lease sites
Officers are investigating a rash of copper wire thefts at oil lease sites west of Highway 22 along the North Saskatchewan River.
Taser used to subdue suspect
Police quickly responded to a 911 call reporting a man was acting strangely and may be a danger to himself or others. The adult male was quickly located on a street in Rimbey. The officers determined he needed to be apprehended and attempted to take the man into custody when he began to resist and used an object as a weapon in an effort to try to harm the officers. After a brief foot chase and struggle the man was taken into custody when officers discharged their conducted energy weapon (Taser) and safely made the arrest.
Stoned driver rolls rig
On Sept. 16, police, fire and EMS personnel responded to a serious motor vehicle collision on Highway 20 where a truck pulling a trailer lost control when he was attempting to pass another vehicle going in the same direction. The investigation revealed the trailer had a 25/16 hitch and the truck had a two-inch ball. In the act of passing, the trailer hit a bump and became unhitched; the driver subsequently lost control and crashed into the ditch.
Fortunately, the driver was not seriously injured. However, he was high on drugs. This could possibly explain why he used the wrong hitch receiver. Police also seized a quantity of marijuana from the driver at the time he was arrested. The accused, a 42-year-old man from Red Deer, has been charged with drug possession and impaired driving.
Burglar warned off
On Sept. 19, at 2:10 a.m. someone broke into the auction mart just east of town. When the potential midnight shopper climbed through a window the “high tech” alarm went off. The would-be thief quickly fled the scene without any success of stealing anything. Police are actively following up on all leads in this case.
Mounties converge on drunk driver
During the breakfast hour on Sept. 20, Rimbey detachment received a tip that a possible impaired driver had taken off from a house in Rimbey and was likely heading back to Red Deer after consuming wobbly pops at a party the night before. Unfortunately, the possible drunk driver had at least a 10-minute head start by the time the Rimbey officer could respond. The culprit quickly learned you cannot outrun a radio. Officers from Blackfalds and Sylvan Lake detachments converged on Highway 20 and located the vehicle going south near Asplund Road. The driver was arrested by Sylvan Lake Mounties and charged with impaired driving.
If you have any information regarding this or any other crimes, please call the Rimbey RCMP at (403) 843-2224 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, #8477 on Telus Mobility or *8477 on Rogers AT&T.
Crime Stoppers is a community program that does work. Do your part and call now.