LAC LA BICHE - With 42 charges now officially laid against a Lac La Biche-area man, RCMP are releasing some details about the Dec. 17 incident that resulted in the arrest.
Information issued by police on Jan. 6 says that on the morning of Dec. 17, members of the Lac La Biche RCMP's Crime Reduction Unit were patrolling the Beaver Lake area in connection to a file from the night before where a vehicle had allegedly fled from police. According to local RCMP, the CRU members identified a suspect vehicle parked near a residence and when they approached they found a man sleeping in the driver's seat. Police say firearms were visible inside the vehicle.
The vehicle's occupant was woken up and arrested without incident.
The initial investigation, according to RCMP, shows that the vehicle was reported stolen from Edmonton on Dec. 5.
During a search of the vehicle, police reportedly seized two rifles, two handguns, 126 grams of a product believed to be methamphetamine, 15 grams of suspected cocaine and 12 grams of a substance believed to be fentanyl. The search, say police, also turned up almost $5,000 in cash.
The 42 charges include drug possession, flight from police, careless use of a firearm, possession of stolen property, and eight counts of failing to comply with court orders.
Keith Cardinal, 34, from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation has been remanded into custody awaiting a Jan. 18 court date.