SENNETERRE, QC -- An armed man, heavily intoxicated and in crisis, was arrested by the Surete du Quebec (SQ) police after five hours, following a police pursuit followed by negotiations in Senneterre, Abitibi-Temiscamingue, six hours north of Montreal.
The suspect tried everything to flee from the police when officers attempted to intercept him, around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, for breach of conditions.
"When they tried to intercept the vehicle driven by the suspect, he fled and refused to stop. We know that there was also a woman with him in the vehicle," said SQ spokesperson Sgt. Marythe Bolduc. "A police pursuit began at low speed. The fugitive ended up on forest roads in the Barraute area, where he stole a hunter's vehicle and got stuck on a forest road."
The 38-year-old suspect was in possession of a firearm, the SQ said.
"The police negotiated with him for several hours. Finally, the man and woman surrendered peacefully at about 11:30 p.m. No one was hurt," said Bolduc.
The man was arrested and transported to a hospital as he was heavily intoxicated.
The SQ says he is likely to face charges of breach of condition, flight, theft of a vehicle, pointing a firearm and possession of an unauthorized firearm.
It was not immediately clear to police if the woman accompanying the suspect was in danger or what the links between them were.
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 27, 2021.
