As a result of arobbery investigation in Paradise Hill, Turtleford RCMP have charged Ryan Douglas Nicholson (DOB: 1988-08-19) with the following offences:
• Robbery with firearm, Section 343 CC;
• Assault with a weapon, Section 267 CC, (3 counts);
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, Section 249(1)(a) CC;
• Flight while being pursued by police, Section 249.1(1) CC;
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle, Section 253 (1)(a) CC;
• Common nuisance, Section 180(1)(a) CC;
• Unsafe use, storage, transportation of ammunition, Section 86(1) CC.
Ryan Nicholson appeared before a Justice of the Peace Saturday, July 11 where he was remanded into custody until his next court appearance, which will be at Provincial Court in Lloydminster, Tuesday, July 14 at 10:00 a.m.
The charges stem from the following incident:
At 1:42 p.m. Friday, Turtleford RCMP were called to a complaint of a robbery at a financial institution on the 200 block of main street in the community of Paradise Hill.
Initial investigation revealed that an adult male entered the financial institution and demanded cash. He obtained an undisclosed quantity of cash and exited the building, leaving the area eastbound driving a light brown/beige Chevrolet truck with an Alberta license plate.
Employees in the financial institution at the time of the incident were not physically injured.
RCMP officers attending to the scene and conducting patrols for the suspect vehicle observed a truck matching the description of the vehicle southeast of the community of Edam.
The vehicle evaded police, travelling northwest at a high rate of speed and swerving between lanes and through traffic. Officers from Battlefords Rural, Loon Lake, Meadow Lake, Onion Lake, Maidstone, Maidstone Enhanced Traffic and St. Walburg RCMP also provided assistance. Thankfully, there were no physical injuries to the public or police due to the suspect evading police.
At 3:10 p.m. the suspect vehicle rolled 20 kilometers west of Turtleford on Highway 303 and the lone male driver was ejected from the vehicle. He was arrested at the scene and was transported to hospital by St. Walburg EMS with what were described as minor injuries. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending against the 26-year-old male driver of the vehicle, from Edmonton, Alta.
Highway 303 between Highway 21 and the community of Turtleford was closed and detours in place for a few hours for Prince Albert RCMP collision reconstruction to conduct an investigation.
