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Two people charged after pursuits around Bienfait and Roche Percee

Two people are facing multiple charges after pursuits in the Bienfait and Roche Percee areas. The Estevan RCMP received a report Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. of an abandoned truck north of Bienfait that turned out to be stolen.

Two people are facing multiple charges after pursuits in the Bienfait and Roche Percee areas.

The Estevan RCMP received a report Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. of an abandoned truck north of Bienfait that turned out to be stolen. Members attended and were in the process of towing the vehicle from the scene when another vehicle came down the same road.

Members attempted to stop the second vehicle, but the vehicle fled the area at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle that fled was then located in Bienfait and two police officers in separate vehicles attempted another traffic stop, but the vehicle fled at a dangerously high rate of speed and headed towards Estevan.

The suspect vehicle was later located on a back road near Roche Percee. This time the fleeing vehicle lost control on the gravel road as it approached another RCMP vehicle and collided with it, causing significant damage to the RCMP vehicle.

A pursuit occurred and the RCMP vehicle that had been in the collision pursued the suspect vehicle east towards Roche Percee. A second police vehicle from the Estevan Police Service through the Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan unit joined the pursuit as a back-up vehicle.

The pursuit lasted approximately 17 kilometers from Roche Percee towards the Highway 39 area. The pursuit ended when the fleeing vehicle was struck and forced to stop by the RCMP vehicle just as it was attempting to drive towards Highway 39 near North Portal. 

Two men were then quickly arrested.

All persons involved in the pursuit were examined by Emergency Medical Services and no injuries were noted.

David William Arsenault, 32, of Edmonton has eight charges and Jason Gary Sawchuk, also 32, of Invermere B.C., is facing 11 charges.

Both males were in Estevan Provincial Court on Dec. 5 and have been remanded into custody until their next court appearance on Dec. 10.

The charges have not been proven in court.

The Mercury will have more details as they become available.