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RCMP: Buckle up or pay up

March is designated as occupant restraint month and Ponoka RCMP Sgt. Glenn Demaere said a blitz will take place March 10 and 11.3

By Jasmine Franklin

Buckle up behind the wheel.

March is designated as occupant restraint month and Ponoka RCMP Sgt. Glenn Demaere said a blitz will take place March 10 and 11.

“The biggest cost you can pay for not wearing a seatbelt is at the cost of an accident you could get killed or seriously injured,” Demaere said.

Forty per cent of people in fatal car collisions would have survived had they been wearing a seatbelt.

Throughout the month, RCMP across the province will conduct vehicle checks to enforce the mandatory use of seatbelts and child restraints.

Being caught without a seatbelt is a $115 fine.

Mischief

Demaere told the Ponoka News that March 2, a Mustang in the 38th Street area was keyed overnight March 3; a Chevrolet Cavalier parked on 54th Street had its windshield broken March 3; and a garage was vandalized with graffiti in the area of 56th Avenue on March 5.

There are a few suspects in the cases. None are believed to be linked.

RCMP pursuit

Driving complaints about a vehicle coming out of Leduc March 5 led to a short police chase.

Around 9 p.m., numerous complaints were received about a vehicle that almost hit other vehicles while driving. Upon investigation it was discovered the vehicle was a suspect in a hit and run in Edmonton.

Travelling south on Highway 2, police began to pursue the vehicle but because of the safety of other motorists had to pull back. Edmonton’s Air One helicopter was also called to track the moving vehicle that was later stopped by Red Deer RCMP.

Fraud

A local business is trying to determine if it is a victim of fraud, Demaere said. During book reviews, it was discovered money was missing.

There is a suspect in the matter.