An early morning pursuit ended with a Hobbema man charged with impaired driving, dangerous operation of a vehicle and breach of probation.
It started in Ponoka when police were called to a disturbance in a downtown back alley. Upon arrival Mounties saw a man enter his vehicle and speed away northbound on 49 Street.
The vehicle was driven erratically and every time it stopped and police approached, the driver would speed away. Eventually police managed to box in the vehicle on the Montana Reserve. There was a male passenger and two female passengers in the car who were released at the scene.
The driver tested with two blood-alcohol samples of .19.
Stolen vehicle found
RCMP responded to a call of a Dodge Neon that had gone through a fence was and hung up on some rocks Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. on Township Road 433 near Range Road 250. Police arrived and found the driver had returned to the vehicle to gather his belongings. The driver was a male youth from Hobbema who was recognized on surveillance footage as a person who stole liquor from a store the previous night.
He was released on conditions. The vehicle was stolen from Calgary.
Search yields marijuana
Search warrants for a Ponoka business and residence were executed Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. and resulted in the seizure of more than half a pound of marijuana.
Nothing was found at the business, located on the north end of Ponoka on Highway 2A but the drugs and drug paraphernalia were found at the home on the 5100 block of 63 Avenue Close.
Two men from Ponoka, 25 and 59, have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and have been released with a promise to appear in court Dec. 14.
Suspicious youths questioned and charged
Police responded to a call from a resident concerned about six youths loitering near St. Augustine Catholic School Nov. 2 at 1 a.m. Police questioned the boys; three provided false names and one had unrelated warrants against him.
Police thank residents for their help in the matter.
Theft from schools
A recent letter to parents from Mecca Glen School states several Wolf Creek Schools including those in Crestomere, Lacombe, Bentley and Eckville have been broken into recently with cash being taken from the front offices. It advises staff to ensure they leave at a reasonable time and be aware of their surroundings.
Ponoka RCMP have increased their night patrols of the schools in the area and are on heightened awareness.
Vehicles windows smashed
Several vehicles in the alley of the 5000 block of 50 Street were vandalized in the early morning hours of Nov. 4 with one vehicle’s ignition being punched in. Police are looking for the culprits.
Impaired drivers
There were two impaired drivers Nov. 3, one at 2 a.m. and one at 10 p.m. The first involved a 40-year-old man from Wetaskiwin northbound on 46 Street who tested for blood-alcohol levels of .17 twice. He was released on $1,500 bail.
In the evening a 47-year-old woman from Hobbema was stopped north of Ponoka on Highway 2A. She tested with .19 and .18.
If you have information on any crime call Ponoka RCMP at 403-783-4472 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.