Police pursuit leads to collision; one MHPS officer in hospital, suspect in custody

By Tim Kalinowski
A Medicine Hat police officer has been hospitalized after being struck by a vehicle while in pursuit of a suspect.
At 1 a.m. on Thursday the Medicine Hat Police Service attempted to stop a Ford F-350. The vehicle fled pursuit but was located a few minutes later near Dunmore Road S.E. and Kipling Street S.E.. After initially stopping for police, as the officer approached the offending vehicle the driver accelerated the vehicle backwards in an attempt to strike the two police vehicles behind him. The officer was subsequently struck and the driver fled from police a second time.
Redcliff RCMP joined the Medicine Hat Police Service in pursuit of the fleeing vehicle on Highway 3 westbound. One RCMP vehicle was badly damaged during this stage of the pursuit.
A spike belt was eventually deployed which forced the suspect vehicle to stop. Redcliff RCMP report there is one person in custody at this time. The Medicine Hat Police Service officer who was struck is still currently in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Redcliff RCMP asks that anyone with information on the incident to contact either the Redcliff detachment or the Medicine Hat Police Service.