On September 15, 2017, at approximately 8pm, Minnedosa RCMP received a report of a suspicious vehicle. The caller indicated that the vehicle was similar to one that was posted and shared on social media as reportedly stolen.
At approximately 9:30pm, an officer patrolling in the community of Minnedosa observed the vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the roadway with the motor running. As the officer turned around to approach the vehicle, it began to drive away. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the vehicle sped from the scene. The officer did not initiate a pursuit but provided its last known location to other officers in the area.
Police say that the vehicle was later spotted leaving Provincial Road 262 and into a swampy field where it came to a stop, forcing the driver to flee on foot. Officers from Minnedosa, Neepawa, Brandon, and Westman Traffic Services attended to the location and secured the perimeter.
With the help of Police Dog Ozzy from Portage la Prairie, the driver of the vehicle, 42-year-old Jayson Alexander Balodis of Riverton, was located and arrested.
“This is the third time in just over a week that Police Dog Ozzy has helped track and capture a suspect,” said Sgt. Paul Manaigre of the Manitoba RCMP. “It truly shows the value and importance of our police dogs, they are so integral to our front-line members and police operations.”
RCMP report that Jayson Balodis was remanded into custody and appeared in Brandon Provincial Court on September 18, facing charges of possession of property obtained by crime, flight from police, resisting arrest and mischief. Several charges were also issued under the Highway Traffic Act.
