A foot pursuit that lasted 90 minutes and eventually included support from areal drones, ATVs, and a police service dog came to an end with a suspect in custody and facing a new charge of resisting arrest.
According to an RCMP release, officers from Ste. Rose du Lac were looking for a suspect wanted on four unendorsed warrants of arrest on June 14 at about 9:55 PM. They went to a shed on the property where the suspect was believed to be, on Highway 278 in the Ebb and Flow First Nation, and as they were entering the shed, the suspect was leaving out the back and began running away, ignoring calls from police to stop.
Police said they chased after him, calling in support from a drone. About 90 minutes later, they spotted him heading southwest from Highway 278 towards the community’s old dump road. RCMP service dog Marook was on scene and began tracking through often thick brush and swampy areas for approximately 1.2 kilometres before locating and apprehending the suspect.
RCMP added that members of the Ebb and Flow First Nation Fire Department assisted RCMP, using their off-road vehicle to bring the suspect out of the bush. The suspect was treated for bite wounds at hospital, then transported to the RCMP detachment in Ste. Rose.
In addition to his previous charges, Mark Houle, 45, of Ebb and Flow First Nation is now charged with resisting arrest. He is presumed innocent.
