LLOYDMINSTER — A 44-year-old man who was the subject of a multi-agency manhunt following a high-speed police pursuit last month has been arrested and appeared in Lloydminster Provincial Court on June 3.
Aaron Chief, of Onion Lake, was remanded and a bail hearing has been set for June 10.
Chief had been wanted by RCMP since May 17 when officers tried to pull over a speeding vehicle near Onion Lake. According to police, Onion Lake RCMP observed the vehicle driving at a high rate of speed at about 5:10 p.m. that day. When officers activated their emergency equipment, the driver refused to stop.
The vehicle eventually came to a stop near Frenchman Butte, and two occupants fled on foot. Two others remained inside and were arrested at the scene. Police say a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded firearm.
Onion Lake RCMP Detachment called in the Lloydminster Crime Reduction Team (CRT), the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT), North Battleford Police Dog Services (PDS), and Rosetown RCMP and Kindersley RCMP Combined Traffic Services, to help locate the outstanding suspects.
One suspect was tracked for about five kilometres by a police dog and arrested.
A fourth occupant of the vehicle was released without charge.
Chief remained at large until recently. A warrant had been issued for his arrest on several charges, including flight from police, dangerous driving, resisting/obstructing a peace officer, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without a license, unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle, possession of a prohibited weapon knowing its possession was unauthorized.
Chief was also charged with possession of a firearm contrary to a court order. Records show that in 2022, when he was sentenced on drug trafficking charges, he was given a 10-year firearms prohibition and ordered to provide his DNA.
