Manitoba RCMP are reporting that three individuals have recently been arrested and charged in connection to multiple incidents related to firearms, theft, drug trafficking and assault.
On June 19, 2022, at approximately 2:20 am, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report of a suspicious vehicle on a rural property located 14 kilometres east of McCreary, Manitoba. The caller reported a suspect was attempting to steal fuel from a vehicle but they were scared off. As the suspect vehicle sped away, a firearm was discharged from the fleeing vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Police say that at 3:45am that same morning, a second call was received where three vehicles were seen entering a rural property located north of Laurier. In this incident, the suspects attempted to steal a truck parked on the property but were scared away. As they fled the scene, a handgun was left behind. At 4:05am, a third call was received in regards to three suspicious vehicles seen entering a rural property. In this incident, a pickup truck was entered into but not stolen. The suspects then fled the scene.
Within a few minutes of the third call, officers located the three suspect vehicles traveling west on Provincial Road (PR) 480 and attempted a traffic stop. Officers say that the vehicles sped away at a very high rate of speed.
As officers continued northbound on PR 582 from PR 480, one of the suspect vehicles was located abandoned on the road. The vehicle was later discovered to be stolen out of Selkirk.
Dauphin RCMP were now advised of the two suspect vehicles heading into their jurisdiction. Within a very short period of time, the vehicles were spotted but did not stop for police.
As the investigation progressed into the afternoon, one of the suspect vehicles was observed driving in Dauphin. It was followed and located a very short distance away as it had driven onto a flooded roadway and became stuck. The suspects attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended without incident.
RCMP report that two males from Dauphin, 30-year old Jimmy Pruden and 28-year-old Curtis Pruden, as well as 33-year-old Jill Johnson from Winnipeg, were arrested in connection to this investigation. All three were remanded into custody for a future court appearance and will be facing numerous charges.
Further police investigation has led to the seizure of a handgun, break-in instruments, small amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, drug paraphernalia and recovered stolen property. As the investigation continues, additional charges are anticipated.
