A Morinville RCMP officer narrowly escaped serious injury early Monday morning after being dragged by a stolen vehicle during an arrest attempt at a Gibbons, Alta., gas station.
The incident unfolded around 12:30 a.m. on July 29 when an officer from the Morinville detachment conducted a traffic stop on a stolen truck parked at the Shell station. As the officer approached to arrest the occupants, the driver suddenly reversed, striking the officer, who was forced to jump into the moving vehicle to avoid being run over.
Despite the chaos, the officer managed to disengage the gear and remove the keys from the ignition before the truck crashed into a tree. As the officer attempted to arrest the suspects, the driver allegedly pulled a sawed-off shotgun from between the seats, exited the vehicle, and threw it into the truck bed.
Watch video below taken from officer’s body worn camera. Video supplied by Alberta RCMP
A subsequent search of the suspects and the vehicle led to the seizure of:
-Small quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl
-A false bill of sale
-The sawed-off shotgun and ammunition
The officer sustained minor injuries in the altercation.
Four individuals are now facing a combined 34 charges following the incident.
Ryan Calvin Grant, 42, of Onaway, has been charged with:
-Possession of stolen property over and under $5,000
-Four weapons offences
-Two counts of driving while prohibited
-Assaulting a police officer with a weapon
-Four counts of failing to comply with an undertaking
-Possession of a controlled substance
Cassandra Joy Bruno, 34, of Alexander First Nation, faces charges including:
-Possession of stolen property
-Four weapons offences
-Possession of a controlled substance
-Possession of a forged document
Michael James Racicot, 38, of no fixed address, is charged with:
-Possession of stolen property
-Four weapons offences
-Three counts of failing to comply with a release order
Jo-anna Elaine Nussey, 42, of Minburn, Alta., has been charged with:
-Possession of stolen property
-Four weapons offences
-Multiple breaches of court orders
All four accused were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Morinville on July 31.
Morinville RCMP Detachment Commander Darcy McGunigal highlighted the increasing dangers officers face, noting that Alberta RCMP experience an average of 2.2 violent encounters daily. Since 2023, assaults on police involving weapons or causing bodily harm have risen by 23 per cent.
“While we highlight dropping CSI crime rates and the most recent 18 per cent drop in stolen vehicles compared to last year, don’t forget that with each of these arrests there are men and woman on the front lines putting their safety at risk combating these prolific offenders,” said McGunigal.
