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Suspects in Wetaskiwin stabbing crash land into police hands

Two men hit a brick wall after attempt to flee from alleged stabbing July 13
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This BMW plowed into the brick exterior of a Wetaskiwin business in the early hours of July 13 after two suspects in an alleged stabbing tried to evade capture. Both were sent to hospital and police are looking into possible charges. Image: RCMP

An early morning incident in Wetaskiwin saw two people wind up in hospital and prompting a police investigation.

Around 12:30 a.m. on July 13, RCMP were called to an apartment building on Wetaskiwin’s south side to follow up on a reported stabbing.

Upon arrival, officers found a 32-year-old man in a common area of the building with two stab wounds to his back.

Officers were also then alerted that the suspects were now in a vehicle attempting to flee the scene. In trying to make a getaway, the suspect vehicle stuck a parked RCMP cruiser as well as another parked vehicle with the two RCMP members barely escaping the path as the suspect vehicle made a run for it.

However, the vehicle didn’t get far, as the suspects drove it into the side of a nearby business near the intersection of 55 Street and 39 Avenue in Wetaskiwin.

The male suspects — the 21 year-old driver and 23 year-old passenger both from Maskwacis — were then arrested and each taken to hospital in Wetaskiwin for treatment of injuries sustained after the vehicle barrelled into the exterior brick wall.

The driver was released a short time later and is being held in custody, while the passenger was transferred to an Edmonton hospital and is now in stable condition.

Meanwhile, the stabbing victim is also in an Edmonton area hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

While Wetaskiwin RCMP are continuing to investigate, it’s been determined the victim and the two accused are not known to each other.

No formal charges have yet been laid, but RCMP anticipate the pair will face charges resulting from both the assault and the escape attempt.

“This incident could have resulted in additional injuries to the public and our officers,” said Inspector Keith Durance, detachment commander of the Wetaskiwin RCMP.

“Thankfully no one else was injured.”