Submitted Photo

Police took this photo of an SUV involved in a collision on Highway 9 near Irricana, June 21. The driver of this vehicle was killed and Calgarian Lloyd Louis Gerard has been charged.

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Man arrested in connection with Irricana-area hit-and-run

Police Notebook:

Police arrested a man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that took place on Highway 9 near Irricana, around 12:30 a.m. on June 21.

Calgarian Lloyd Louis Gerard, 40, was arrested in the evening of June 21 in Calgary and charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene of a collision.

Gerard has pled not guilty to the charges.

Beiseker RCMP received a 911 report from a motorist who came upon a collision between an SUV and a 2005 blue Dodge 3500 pickup truck with a white slip tank in the back, that took place on Highway 9 just south of its intersection with Highway 567.

When RCMP, Rocky View Fire Services and EMS arrived on scene, they discovered the driver of the SUV, a 51-year-old Raelene Schmaltz from Beiseker, had died.

The driver of the pickup, and possible occupants, had fled the scene.

“HAWCs were called out along with a police service dog in an attempt to locate the occupant or occupants of the other vehicle that had fled from the scene,” said Cpl. Darrin Turnbull of the Airdrie RCMP at a press conference on June 22.

“We still don’t know how the collision happened, that part is being investigated. However, it is a criminal offence to flee from the scene of a collision when someone has been injured.”

Turnbull said Gerard sustained injuries.

The road was closed for about nine hours during the investigation.

Bomb threat

RCMP and about five security officers responded to a bomb threat at CrossIron Mills mall, in the early afternoon of July 27.

A small section of the mall was evacuated for about 40 minutes before the situation was deemed a false alarm by RCMP at around 1:30 p.m.

“One of our stores received a call saying that there was a package in the store,” said Ken Gallaher, CrossIron’s property manager. “A crisis management plan was implemented. Everything seems fine.”

It is the first such threat Gallaher has had to deal with.

“It gets your heart going a little in the afternoon,” he said. “RCMP arrived very quickly and took control of the situation.”

Break and enter

Police are looking for two Caucasian men in relation to a break and enter at an Airdrie Shopper’s Drug Mart location, which took place at around 12:50 a.m. on June 20.

Police believe the suspects tampered with the locks on the front door of the store, located at 836 1st Ave., to gain entrance.

Once inside, suspects stole perfume and cologne, mainly Chanel and Lancome products, the value of which was not known at press time.

If you have information on any crime, contact Airdrie RCMP 403-945-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.crimestoppers.ab.ca