A 45-year-old man is facing several charges after fleeing from a traffic stop on Highway 2 on the weekend.
On July 9 at 3:30 p.m., a member of the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit pulled over a green Ford Explorer on southbound Highway 2 at the Calgary city limits for a minor traffic offence.
The driver was unable to produce identification of any kind and gave the officer a false name and date of birth. Police said, the officer became suspicious when the driver did not know any pertinent details about the person he was pretending to be. When the officer confronted the driver about the inconsistencies in his story, the driver slammed the door and drove away. The officer did not follow the vehicle.
“Despite the accused’s efforts to hide his identity from the traffic officer, we were able to determine his identity through various investigative techniques,” said Sheriff Jason Graw.
“While we were completing the paper work here in Airdrie to have warrants issued for the accused, he was subsequently arrested in Calgary on unrelated matters and we were able to track him down with the assistance of the Calgary Police Service.”
As a result of the traffic stop that occurred on Highway 2 and the driver’s subsequent decision to flee, the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit has laid the following charges against Colin Charles Hupper, of no fixed address:
• Two counts of breach of recognizance
• Resisting or obstructing a peace officer
• Driving while suspended
• Driving an uninsured motor vehicle
• Failure to remain stopped for peace officer
• Driving an unregistered motor vehicle
• Illegal use of licence plate
• Failure to provide a peace officer with required information
• Driving through median/ditch/boulevard
Hupper is scheduled to appear in Provincial Court in Airdrie on Sept. 8 in relation to these charges.
“In this case, the driver made a split-second decision to flee from the officer,” said Graw.
“Fortunately, no one was injured as a result. While it may have seemed like good idea at the time, the decision to flee has only resulted in more serious charges being laid against the accused.”
On July 9 at 2:49 a.m., an officer with Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit saw a silver Lexus ES300 speeding on Highway 566 near RR 13 just north of Calgary. The officer clocked the vehicle at 182 km/h in the posted 100-km/h zone.
A 29-year-old man, from Calgary, has been charged with exceeding the posted speed limit on a highway as a result of this incident. If convicted, the man could be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 and a six-month suspension of his driver’s licence.
“Intercepting speeding drivers is one of the top six priorities of the Integrated Traffic Units in Alberta, because reducing the speed of a vehicle will have an impact on the severity of injuries sustained by the occupants if the vehicle is involved in a collision,” said Graw.
“In this particular case, on a secondary highway with a number of hidden driveways and intersections, travelling at such a high speed is extremely dangerous. Even a momentary lapse of attention or slight over-steer could result in a serious collision. In addition, other roadway users are not expecting a vehicle to be going so fast and can easily misjudge its speed when crossing the vehicle’s path at an intersection, for example.”
On July 10 at 1:18 p.m., members of the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit responded to multiple 911 calls regarding an erratic driver on Highway 2 southbound, north of Airdrie.
It was reported that a white Lincoln four-door automobile was travelling southbound at a high rate of speed, and navigating the heavy traffic by passing other motorists on the shoulder.
One of the responding officers clocked the vehicle traveling at 160 km/h, and conducted a traffic stop just north of Airdrie. As the vehicle was coming to a stop, the officer saw the driver exchange seats with the only other vehicle occupant. As a result of this incident, a 25-year-old man from Calgary is now facing charges of dangerous driving, obstructing a peace officer, exchanging places with another occupant while the vehicle is in motion and driving without an operators licence.
The Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit is asking anyone who witnesses this incident to contact police.
On July 8, the Airdrie RCMP and the Calgary Forensic Identification Section responded to a series of residential break, enter and theft complaints occurring throughout the city.
Police believe that the crimes took place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thieves targeted six homes; entry was gained by entering into unlocked doors and windows. Once inside, the suspects removed electronics, American currency and jewelry. At this time the value of the losses is unknown.
In one incident a gained entry into an occupied residence and was confronted by an 18-year-old woman in the house. The suspect subsequently fled and the occupant contacted police. The woman was not hurt during the incident.
Police would like to remind home owners to ensure that their residences are always properly secured, which includes the following:
• closing garage doors
• locking the man door from the garage to the main residence
• locking all exterior doors including patio doors
• locking all windows
• removing garage door openers from vehicles
• activating home alarm systems
At about 1 a.m. on July 7, two unknown men threw eggs at the storefront of Cobs Bakery located on Main Street. The suspects then proceeded to place a shopping cart full of flyers by the front door.
On the same night a series of arson complaints were reported in various locations throughout the city of Airdrie; the fires were ignited using stacks of flyers placed in shopping carts. No serious damages occurred as a result of these fires.
Two men were seen placing a shopping cart filled with flyers in front of Cobs; it is believed that these suspects may be responsible for the mischief to the bakery and that they may also be responsible for the arson complaints.
The first suspect is described as: Caucasian, 5’8” tall, with a medium build, shaggy brown/blonde hair, wearing yellow and black stripped shorts and white shoes. The second suspect is described as: Caucasian, 5’10” tall, slim build, short dark hair, wearing a black T-shirt, black and grey camouflage pants and dark shoes.
RCMP would like to remind residents about procedural enhancements and increased wait times with regard to obtaining Criminal Record Checks. It is recommended that anyone residing in Airdrie RCMP’s jurisdiction requiring a Criminal Record Check attend the Airdrie RCMP Detachment well in advance to the date the check is required.
Criminal Record Checks are currently being processed with a three-week turn around, from the time they are submitted. Please note that anyone working with children, youth and elderly people with disabilities will require a Vulnerable Sector Check. Also note that it takes anywhere from four to six months for the fingerprints to be processed and returned.
If you have information about any unsolved crime, call Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
