On Friday, May 20, 2022, at approximately 11:50 p.m., officers from the Cochrane RCMP Traffic Services were conducting a checkstop on Glenbow Drive in Cochrane, Alta. A vehicle pulled into the checkstop, and an officer began speaking with the driver. The driver then accelerated, striking the officer and fleeing from the area. A second officer had to jump out of the way to avoid also being struck. The vehicle was seen entering the Sunset neighbourhood. Additional officers from Cochrane and Stoney Nakoda RCMP assisted with securing and searching the area. Within minutes the driver was located and arrested. The officer went to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has since been released.
A 39-year-old individual, of Cochrane, Alta., has been charged with the following:
- Fail to stop while pursued by police
- Operate a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner causing bodily harm
- Assault police officer with a weapon
- Operate a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol
- Operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80 mg%
After a judicial interim release hearing, the 39-year-old individual was released to appear in Cochrane Provincial Court on May 31, 2022, at 9 a.m.
Cochrane RCMP continue to investigate this incident and are asking anyone with dash cam footage between May 20 at 11:45 p.m. and May 21 at 12:10 a.m., in the area from Glenbow Drive, Highway 22 and Highway 1A, to the Sunset neighbourhood, or anyone who may have witnessed this incident to please contact Cochrane RCMP at 403-851-8000 or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.
RCMP will continue to have an increased presence throughout the long weekend. RCMP encourage the public to enjoy their weekend activities so we can all make it home safely.