Punnichy man facing 28 charges after two vehicles stolen

A 39-year-old Punnichy man is facing 28 charges after he was arrested Tuesday afternoon near that community.

In a media release, the RCMP said officers from the Punnichy detachment got a call Monday at around 12:15 p.m., about a vehicle theft in Punnichy. Officers saw the vehicle driving on Highway 15 a few hours later and tried to pull it over, but the driver took off.

At around 8:20 p.m., the Punnichy RCMP got a call about another vehicle theft on the George Gordon First Nation. The Mounties were told a man had approached a group of individuals, fired a gun and stole one of their vehicles.

The RCMP determined the same man was the suspect in both incidents.

Officers saw the stolen vehicle twice Tuesday morning, but it sped off both times.

“The second time, officers followed the fleeing vehicle through George Gordon First Nation, through Punnichy and into a rural area,” the Mounties’ release said. “The suspect vehicle was then disabled and the driver taken into custody.”

Police subsequently found the man was wanted by the Melville RCMP on charges that included uttering threats and operation of a conveyance while impaired in relation to an incident March 9 in Kelliher.

The man was charged with five counts of failing to comply with release order condition, four counts each of failing to comply with an undertaking and operation of a conveyance while prohibited, three counts each of flight from a peace officer and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts each of assault with a weapon, robbery with a firearm, and possession of a firearm contrary to an order, and one count each of unauthorized possession of a firearm, discharge a firearm with intent and possession of a firearm while knowing its possession is unauthorized.

He made his first court appearance in Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday.