Police chase ends in crash, foot chase and 3 arrests in Brandon

A 31-year-old man from Saskatchewan was arrested in Brandon on Thursday after a police officer was dragged by an SUV before a pursuit that ended after the SUV went out of control in a rail yard.

Police officers, including the canine unit and heavily armed tactical officers, descended on the city's downtown around the noon hour and left a little after 1:30 p.m., after the wild chase eventually ended.

Police were notified on Wednesday to watch for a black Audi SUV after a caller saw a man punching a woman inside the vehicle while travelling south on First Street. Several hours later, they got more information about a man in a vehicle of the same description who was possibly in possession of a handgun.

Police found the SUV in the parking lot of a hotel early Thursday and identified the driver as a man from Saskatoon, Sask., with a "lengthy and violent" criminal record, the news release says.

As the investigation continued and more police resources were sent to the area, he was also found to be the subject of a recognizance and bound by a condition to keep a daily curfew and live in a home in Saskatoon.

Shortly after noon, a man left the hotel with a woman and drove the SUV away.

At that point, police tried to stop the SUV and an officer attempted to take the man into custody, but he resisted and fled in the SUV, starting the chase.

As he drove off, the officer was dragged a short distance, but the officer wasn't injured, the news release says.

The chase ended when the man lost control of the vehicle in the Canadian Pacific Railway yard under the First Street bridge. The man and woman both ran away, but the woman was caught and taken into custody. 

After a search involving the K-9 unit, police found the man hiding in a shed behind a house. He's been charged with the following offences:

• Assaulting a peace officer with a weapon.
• Flight while pursued by a police officer.
• Possession of property obtained by crime.
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
• Driving while disqualified.
• Breach of recognizance.

The woman, a 26-year-old with no fixed address, was also arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime. Both will appear in court on Friday.

Rifle, 2 shotguns found at home

As the investigation continued, police got information that a man was at a Franklin Street home with a handgun and an assault rifle.

Shortly before 5 p.m., the man left the house and was taken into police custody. Police searched the home and found a .22-calibre rifle, a 20-gauge shotgun, a Savage hunting rifle and an SNR .357-calibre BB handgun.

A red Dodge truck parked at the house was later found to be stolen from Prince Albert, Sask.

A 31-year-old man from Saskatoon was charged with several offences, including possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of property obtained by crime.