Two individuals have been arrested and charged with fleeing from police, theft of a motor vehicle, assault and various other offences after leading officers on a chase from Wetaskiwin to Red Deer County on Oct. 10.
The Wetaskiwin Crime Reduction Unit were conducting patrols when they spotted a vehicle towing a trailer with a stolen Alberta licence plate.
The Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) tried to stop the vehicle, but it fled south on Highway 2.
While the vehicle was travelling at high speed, RCMP say a male crawled out of the sunroof and started throwing objects at police as they police. The man then unhooked the trailer and the vehicle sped off.
Officers continued to follow at a safe distance, maintaining a visual on the fleeing vehicle.
After police used a tire deflation device, the vehicle entered a rural property. The suspects then abandoned that vehicle and allegedly stole another one, again fleeing from police through rural roads in the Lacombe and Red Deer County areas.
Police once again used a tire deflation device, disabling the vehicle and this time the two suspects were arrested.
Jeff Edward Medd, a 40-year-old resident of Leduc County, has been charged with two counts of fleeing from police, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5,000, five firearms-related offences, and assault of a peace officer.
Corey Garrett Peers, a 35-year-old resident of Wainwright, Alta., has been charged with two counts of fleeing from police, possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and multiple weapons offences, as well as two counts of mischief causing damage, fraudulent concealment, two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of failing to comply with a release order.
According to publicly-available court documents, Peers was convicted in April 2020 of possession of a stolen Dodge Ram vehicle valued at $32,000. He appealed the sentence but the appeal was dismissed in 2022.
Both suspects appeared in court on Oct. 15 in Wetaskiwin and were remanded into custody. They are both scheduled to enter an election and plea on Oct. 29 at the Wetaskiwin Court of Justice.
Additional support was provided by RCMP Air Services, Police Dog Services, the Provincial Community Response Team, Ponoka RCMP, Rimbey RCMP, Blackfalds RCMP, Red Deer RCMP, Alberta Sheriffs FASST and officers from Edmonton Police Services during the incident.
