COLD LAKE – A driver fleeing from a City of Cold Lake Peace Officer resulted in an arrest and drug seizure by RCMP.
On Feb. 24, members from the Cold Lake RCMP detachment responded to a report of a dangerous driver after the vehicle fled from a city peace officer.
Police were advised that a traffic stop had been conducted on 10th St. in Cold Lake after the peace officer had observed a male slumped over the steering wheel of the vehicle. The peace officer attempted to obtain identification from the male suspect, who then proceeded to flee from the scene in the vehicle.
Cold Lake RCMP members attended the scene to assist and located the suspect vehicle abandoned a short time later after it had crashed into a ditch on Baywood Road. Police searched the vehicle and located a loaded rifle and ammunition in the back seat. Upon further investigation, officers were able to positively identify the male suspect with the assistance of the peace officer.
A few weeks later, Elk Point RCMP officers and members from the Lakeland Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) located a suspicious vehicle on March 16 while conducting proactive patrols on Range Road 24A in Fishing Lake Métis Settlement. The vehicle matched the same description as a suspect vehicle that had previously been involved in criminal activity in the area.
Police observed that the license plate wasn’t a match to the vehicle. The two occupants were placed under arrest after a can of bear mace was observed in plain view of officers. Further investigation led the officers to discover that the driver, who owned the vehicle, was also in possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, and several other controlled substances.
Officers discovered that the driver was the same individual that had been identified in the Feb. 24 investigation that occurred in Cold Lake.
Omar Adam Csurdi, 23, of Cold Lake was charged with the following offences from the Feb. 24 incident: dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from a peace officer, failure to stop after an accident, two counts of careless use of a firearm, unsafe storage of a firearm, three counts of possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, three counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and two counts of possession of a weapon contrary to an order.
Csurdi was also charged with the following offences resulting from the March 16 incident in Fishing Lake: possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, possession of a weapon contrary to an open, four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited, operation of an unregistered motor vehicle, and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.
He was held for a bail hearing, where he was released by a justice of the peace on a $500 cash release order with conditions.
The second male was charged with failing to comply with a release order and was released by police on an undertaking with conditions. The second name’s name cannot be released at this time as an information has yet to be sworn.
Csurdi is scheduled to attend Cold Lake Provincial Court on April 21 and St. Paul Provincial Court on April 22.
