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Impaired driver hits Cochrane RCMP officer while fleeing checkstop

A drunk driver fleeing a checkstop struck a Cochrane RCMP officer with his vehicle earlier this weekend,

COCHRANE, Alta — A drunk driver fleeing a checkstop struck a Cochrane RCMP officer with his vehicle earlier this weekend, sending the officer to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The checkstop was underway on Glenbow Drive May 20 when William Richard Kinning, 39, of Cochrane, pulled up around 11:50 p.m. The officer began speaking with the man, who then accelerated the vehicle - striking the officer as he fled. 

A second officer had to jump out of the way to avoid also being hit.

The vehicle was seen entering the Sunset neighbourhood, where additional officers from Cochrane and Stoney Nakoda RCMP were called in to secure and search the area. 

Kinning was quickly located and arrested. He is charged with failing to stop while in pursuit by police, operating a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner causing bodily harm, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.08. 

The officer that was transported to hospital following the incident has since been released.

After a judicial interim release hearing, the accused was released to appear in Cochrane Provincial Court on May 31.

While Cochrane RCMP continue to investigate the incident, they ask anyone with dash cam footage taken between May 20 at 11:45 p.m. and May 21 at 12:10 a.m., in the area from Glenbow Drive, Highway 22 and Highway 1A to Sunset - or anyone who may have witnessed the incident - to call the detachment at 403-851-8000. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). 

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