A harrowing chase through Harvie Heights, downtown Canmore and along the railway tracks into Banff National Park ended with the arrest of two suspects, one wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for almost a year, at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday (April 4).
Rory Forslund, 27, of Lacombe, Alta., wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for resisting a peace officer, assault and possession of stolen property, and an unnamed female from Saskatoon, Sask. are in police custody following a three-hour hunt.
Charges were not released by press time, however, police said the male suspect is wanted on several other charges from Lacombe.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in Harvie Heights. The vehicle, a 2006 Red Dodge Ram allegedly stolen in Lacombe, was spotted by police and the driver took off into Canmore – heading down Railway Avenue, then Main Street, blowing through stop signs along the way. Police tried to intercept the driver, but the truck sped away down 8th Street and continued west on Fairholme Drive into Larch.
The truck burst through several locked gates onto trails near the Canmore Golf and Country Club. It then cut across the golf course before heading for the railway tracks, travelling westward towards Banff.
“Several gates were damaged on the golf course and into Banff National Park,” said RCMP Cst. Sabrina Clayton.
Police lost sight of the truck, however, a CP conductor saw one of the suspects running on foot from the vehicle and reported it to police. Train traffic was suspended shortly after for about an hour.
Both suspects then headed into the woods from the train tracks. But with nowhere to go between the Bow River and the Trans-Canada Highway, the duo was essentially trapped.
RCMP called in Calgary Police Dog Services, which tracked the suspects through the woods while several members patrolled the highway, cutting off access to escape.
Once the police dog caught the scent, the duo was apprehended in short order in the woods east of Carrot Creek on the south side of the TCH.
RCMP from Banff, Kananaskis, Canmore and the Bow Valley Integrated Traffic Unit were involved in the hunt.
“We’re very thankful to receive assistance from other detachments,” said Clayton.
RCMP also extend their thanks to the people of Canmore who provided updates of the whereabouts of the truck.
The incident and arrest took place on Forslund’s birthday.
