FORT QU'APPELLE -- A 26 year old man from the Cote First Nation has been charged following a series of offences that took place on Saturday evening in the areas of Wadena, Foam Lake, Yorkton, Melville and Fort Qu’Appelle.
In the late evening on Saturday, Wadena/Foam Lake RCMP was called to a collision where a driver had fled the scene. The other driver involved provided a description to RCMP officers who were able to locate the vehicle unoccupied, and demine it was stolen from Canora.
An officer witnessed the described suspect walking near the stolen vehicle, and when the officer ordered the suspect to stop he pulled out a machete.
The suspect allegedly pointed the weapon at the officer, before holding it to his own neck and asking to be left alone.
The suspect fled the area on foot, and a short time later the truck was reported stolen, reportedly by a suspect armed with a machete. It was alleged that the suspect entered the home through an unlocked door and was last seen on Highway 16 toward Yorkton.
RCMP from the Yorkton detachment located the vehicle on Highway 16 near Springside and attempted to stop by it did not obey. Police followed the vehicle and an officer was nearly hit as the suspect swerved into oncoming traffic. Two attempts to stop the suspect with a spike belt were foiled as the suspect drove into the ditch. Police stopped the chase as the suspect entered Yorkton for public safety.
Police located the suspect putting fuel in the vehicle and attempted to block him at the pumps. The vehicle fled the station with the gas pump still attached and headed towards Melville on Highway 10.
Melville RCMP followed the suspect from a distance, meanwhile Fort Qu’Appelle RCMP set up a road block east of Balcarres. A spike belt was used and the suspect’s tires were deflated.
The suspect carried on toward Fort Qu’Appelle, and stopped in the town after colliding with a stop sign.
The suspect fled to a backyard where he was surrounded by police. The suspect held the machete to his throat, and two CEW deployments were unsuccessful. A crisis negotiator made contact with the suspect but after 70 minutes the suspect still would not surrender.
Officers eventually disarmed him with a weapon that shoots foam projectiles. He was arrested without injury to him or any officers.
Tyler Severight, 26, is charged with possession of a weapon, drive while prohibited, fail to stop after accident, assault of a peace officer with weapon and flight from a peace officer.
He will appear in Fort Qu’Appelle Provincial Court on Nov. 7.
