An early-morning police chase in Springbank June 18 resulted in the arrest of 36-year-old Calgarian Marcel Allan Saulnier.
According to Cochrane RCMP Sgt. Tom Kalis, the incident occurred at roughly 5 a.m., after the driver of an allegedly stolen pick-up truck led Calgary Police Service (CPS) members into the Cochrane detachment’s jurisdiction.
“We were working with our partners from [CPS] to track a stolen truck into our area,” Kalis said. “We managed to get close to the truck and it rammed one of the [CPS] vehicles. It didn’t injure the driver of that vehicle, but did considerable damage to his truck.”
After the pursuit led to Springbank, Kalis said, the driver of the stolen vehicle – Saulnier – drove off-road, coming to a stop in a marsh. A passenger fled on foot and is still at large, Kalis added, but Saulnier was taken into custody with the assistance of a police service dog.
“The vehicle was being observed by a Calgary Police Service helicopter for a period of time, and the person driving the truck was seen in several jurisdictions around Calgary,” Kalis said.
Saulnier, who has no fixed address in Calgary, previously lived in Yarmouth, N.S., according to a June 19 press release from the Cochrane RCMP.
The release stated Saulnier appeared before a Justice of the Peace June 18, and is facing multiple charges stemming from the incident, including assault on a peace officer with a weapon, resisting arrest, dangerous driving, failure to stop while being pursued by police and possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000.
Other charges included possession of a weapon and failing to comply with a release condition. According to the press release, Saulnier is being held in custody and will make a second court appearance at a later, unspecified date.
Cochrane RCMP officers are still investigating the incident and, as of June 20, are working to identify the accomplice who fled on foot, Kalis said. Anyone with information regarding the passenger’s identity is asked to contact the Cochrane RCMP detachment at 403-851-8000 or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers.
