On June 3, Wynyard RCMP were conducting patrols in the community and observed two occupants of a vehicle displaying suspicious behaviour while parked at a local gas station. The officer ran the license plate of the vehicle and both the plate and vehicle came back stolen out of Ontario.
The officer followed the vehicle onto Highway 16, where he pulled it over. When the officer approached the vehicle to get the suspect’s driver’s license, the driver put the car in drive and fled the scene heading west on Highway 16 and entered the community of Wynyard on 4th Street.
With the suspect driving well over 100 kilometers per hour (in a 40 km per hour zone) though the town, the officer decided not to pursue the suspect vehicle due to the risk to public safety.
Once the suspect vehicle exited Wynyard on a north bound grid road, officers set up a perimeter and were able to contain the vehicle. Spike belts were deployed successfully, however, the suspect still refused to stop. The front drivers side tire eventually came off the rim and the vehicle stopped about 6 kilometers west of Wynyard on Highway 16. The driver and passenger were arrested without incident.
23-year-old John Richard Hipwell from Ontario was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of stolen property, flight from police and driving while prohibited.
23-year-old Lonnie Herrington of Ontario is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and possession of stolen property.
Both appeared in Yorkton Provincial Court on June 4.
