An Onion Lake man involved in a police pursuit where an RCMP officer was injured had court appearances this week in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Michael Patrick Hill, 23, appeared in Alberta’s Sherwood Park Provincial Court Jan. 27 in connection to the incident where the Mountie was injured. He aslo appeared in Lloydminster, Sask., Provincial Court Jan. 26 on theft over $5,000 and breach of curfew charges in a separate incident.
Hill has been in custody since his arrest Jan. 19, 2021, in Strathcona County, Alta. It is alleged he was involved in an incident at about 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 19, 2021, in Vermillion where a gun was pointed at someone. Police say the suspects involved fled Vermillion in a black SUV, which police located about an hour later near Edmonton.
RCMP soon located the suspect SUV driving south in a northbound lane on Highway 21 near Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Strathcona County RCMP and Fort Saskatchewan RCMP assisted Vermillion RCMP in the investigation.
One of the RCMP vehicle’s pursuing Hill went into a ditch and rolled near Range Road 540. A second RCMP vehicle, however, successfully stopped the SUV near Township Road 534.
Hill was arrested and charged with assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a vehicle, flight from a peace officer, pointing a firearm, operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited, possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and failing to comply with conditions.
The charges against Hill haven’t been proven in court.
A twenty-one-year-old woman from Onion Lake who was with Hill was also arrested. She was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to make her first court appearance in Sherwood Park Provincial Court on March 17. Alberta RCMP say they will release her name after she makes her first court appearance.
The RCMP officer involved in the rollover was taken to hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.
Hill appears next in Sherwood Park Provincial Court on Feb. 10. The matter was adjourned to give his lawyer time to consult with him.
Hill didn’t appear at his Jan. 26 scheduled appearance in Lloydminster Provincial Court. The North Battleford Crown Prosecutor’s office said they weren’t aware Hill was in custody in Alberta and now they have to get an order to have Hill appear in Saskatchewan’s Lloydminster Provincial Court.
Lloydminster Provincial Court Judge Kim Young issued a warrant for Hill’s arrest. Judge Young said he issued the warrant because the Crown didn’t have enough time to obtain a production order to require Hill appear in Saskatchewan because he is “sitting in an Alberta jail cell.”
