Weekend stolen vehicle incidents result in a dozen charges for Southern Alberta pair

Apr 30, 2019 | 12:10 AM

LETHBRIDGE — An 18-year-old Lethbridge woman and 20-year-old Coaldale man have been charged in connection with a series of incidents involving a stolen vehicle.

On the afternoon of April 25, 2019 police responded to a report of a truck theft from a westside residence. That evening police spotted the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the female driver fled from the officer.

Around 7:30 on April 26, police once again located the truck parked in an alley behind Sheridan Road with the same female driver and a male occupant inside. Police pulled in behind the truck, the officer exited his vehicle and directed the occupants to get out. They didn’t comply and the vehicle reversed toward the officer who was able to move out of the way. He deployed a less-lethal sock gun but the truck continued to reverse, striking the police vehicle and pushing it out of the way before hitting two fences and a tree.

As the truck was colliding with the objects, the officer re-deployed his sock gun. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed toward Simon Fraser Boulevard. The officer was not injured. Multiple officers responded but the truck wasn’t located.

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About an hour later, RCMP received several reports of a vehicle matching the truck’s description, driving erratically on Highway 25 and then another report at 9:25 that vehicle had been abandoned in Coaldale. LPS attended and seized the truck.

Following further investigation police identified the suspects and just after midnight RCMP located them at a home in Coaldale where they were arrested.

Aedan Tanya Betts and Jason James Mercer are both charged with two counts of dangerous driving, one count each of flight from police, assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, obstructing a peace officer, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, four counts of mischief under $5,000 and assault with a weapon.

Betts is also facing charges of dangerous driving, flight from police, possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000 and three counts of breach of a recognizance.

Both are remanded in custody and scheduled to appear in court May 1.

by Dori Modney