A report of suspicious activity in a parking lot in the Highland Green neighbourhood led to a string of smashed vehicles as two suspects attempted unsuccessfully to flee from Red Deer RCMP in the early morning hours of August 17. It began just before 1:00 am when a citizen reported that someone driving a truck was trying to get into other vehicles in the parking lot; Red Deer RCMP responded and discovered the suspect truck had a stolen license plate. The RCMP officer positioned the police cruiser behind the parked truck and approached the driver’s side. At that point, the truck reversed and repeatedly rammed the police vehicle before speeding from the parking lot; the truck struck several parked vehicles and a moving one before colliding with a tree in another residential yard. The male driver and female passenger ran from the truck.
Red Deer RCMP located the woman a short time later, hiding in the back yard of a residence. RCMP police dog services tracked the man to a wooded area off a walking path leading down the hill toward the Riverside Meadows neighbourhood. The woman and man were both taken into custody without further incident.
The RCMP officer whose cruiser was rammed by the suspects was not injured during this series of events, and neither was the driver of the moving vehicle struck by the truck. RCMP do not have an estimate of the damage to the police cruiser at this time.
35 year old Daniel Edward Apetrea of Red Deer, Alberta has been charged with:
· Criminal Code 270(1)(a) – Assault on police officer with weapon
· Criminal Code 249.1(1) – Flight from police
· Criminal Code 354(1)(a) – Possession of stolen property X 2
· Criminal Code 249(1) – Dangerous operation of motor vehicle
· Criminal Code 145(3) – Breach of undertaking X 4
· Criminal Code 252 – Fail to remain at scene
Apetrea appears in court today, August 18 at 9:30 am at Alberta Provincial Court in Red Deer.
25 year old Jessica Lynn Masyk of Red Deer, Alberta has been charged with:
· Criminal Code 270(1)(a) – Assault on police officer with weapon
· Criminal Code 249.1(1) – Flight from police
· Criminal Code 354(1)(a) – Possession of stolen property X 2
Masyk has been remanded in custody and will appear in court on August 20 at 9:30 am at Alberta Provincial Court in Red Deer.
RCMP wish to thank the witnesses who contributed to the police’s apprehension of Apetrea and Masyk without further harm to property or persons. Anyone with information that may assist the police in investigating this series of events is asked to call Red Deer RCMP at 403.343.5575. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477 or report it online at http://www.tipsubmit.com.