Shortly before 1:00 AM, Wednesday July 9, 2014 the Turner Valley RCMP were dispatched to a complaint of a stolen truck and horse trailer containing three horses in Black Diamond, Alberta. The owner of the horses advised he parked his rig on Center Avenue beside the Black Diamond Hotel an hour earlier. When he came out it was gone; police made patrols in the area of Turner Valley and Black Diamond
The owner later spotted his rig in Black Diamond and tried to stop and reason with the driver for fear of injury to his horses. The owner put himself at great risk by climbing on the running board of the truck and pleading with the driver who merely sped away crashing into a barrier and throwing him off. Police located the rig abandoned in Turner Valley a short time later with horses still inside. The owner attended and the three horses were unloaded and checked. All were very distraught, lathered and nervous. Cuts and bruising were sustained by all three horses from being slammed around during the driving.
RCMP Dog Services was contacted and attended the area. After a short time an individual was located and arrested. Twenty three year old Joshua LEMIRE of Turner Valley, Alberta has been charged with Theft of truck, Theft over $5000.00, Dangerous Driving causing bodily harm, Criminal Negligence causing bodily harm, Endangering Animals, and failing to remain at two separate accident scenes; one criminal and one Provincial. He was also found to be on a recognizance for unrelated charges and faces multiple breaches of that court order. He was remanded into custody and is set to appear in Turner Valley Provincial Court on July 15, 2014.
Follow up with the owner has determined his horses Dave, HYTY and Snap all received injuries as a result of this incident. These horses are valuable competition roping and steer wrestling horses that will need to be temporarily removed from competition due to injury. The owner also received injuries, as a result of being thrown from the truck but is still participating in the events of the Calgary Stampede. It is only by sheer luck that there was no loss of life or more significant injures.