Serious assault in Evansburg: suspect arrested after victim airlifted to Edmonton
RCMP Major Crimes is investigating an aggravated assault in Evansburg after a man was struck by a truck and driven away. The victim was airlifted to Edmonton with serious injuries.
RCMP Major Crimes probes Evansburg truck assault as victim remains in Edmonton hospital
The arena parking lot in Evansburg, Alberta, remained taped off more than a day after a serious assault, with RCMP officers collecting evidence around the Pembina Arena, Global News Crime reports.
According to police, a witness called 911 just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday after seeing a man driving a pickup truck strike another person, load the injured victim into the back of the vehicle, and drive away.
RCMP units from both Evansburg and Drayton Valley launched a search for the truck, supported by the RCMP real-time operations centre and air services. Officers eventually located the vehicle with both the victim and the suspect inside. The driver fled the scene but was arrested shortly afterward.
The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported from the Drayton Valley Hospital to an Edmonton facility by STARS Air Ambulance at approximately 9:49 a.m. MDT — roughly an hour and twenty minutes after the initial call.
"Due to the extent of the injuries to the victim, Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit took carriage of the investigation," police said in a statement.
RCMP confirmed the victim and suspect are known to one another, but declined to release further details as of Thursday.
"It's awful, really awful," said Evansburg resident Tara Vaness. "You don't expect something like that, it's really unfortunate."
Global News Crime has learned the identity of the suspect but is withholding it pending formal charges. The suspect has a lengthy criminal history and has previously been designated a prolific offender by the RCMP. Past charges include assault, possession of stolen property, carrying weapons while under a prohibition, driving while prohibited, uttering threats, and disobeying court orders. Following a 2010 conviction for assault with a weapon, among other offences, the Crown sought a long-term offender designation, but the application did not proceed due to procedural issues. No charges have been announced as of publication.
Police are seeking video footage from around the Pembina Arena recorded between 8:20 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, as well as dashcam footage of the route between Evansburg and the Drayton Valley Hospital — approximately 47 kilometres to the south — captured between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Evansburg RCMP at 780-727-3654. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
Source: Global News Crime