Man Escapes From Custody At Meadow Lake Courthouse

Man Escapes From Custody At Meadow Lake Courthouse

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 13:48

 

 

A prisoner has escaped from police custody in Meadow Lake — and the RCMP say he is considered to be a threat to the public.

 

Cpl. Phil DeGruchy, acting head of the Meadow Lake RCMP detachment, says that 28-year-old Don Curtis Cheenanow was leaving the local provincial courthouse yesterday around 5 p.m. as part of a group of prisoners.

 

He says the prisoners were being escorted down a hallway to a back door, in order to be loaded onto the provost van for transport back to the RCMP detachment, with Cheenanow in the lead.

 

Two of the other prisoners got in front of the guard, causing a delay, which allowed Cheenanow enough time to reach the open door and escape.

 

The officer in charge secured the other prisoners and called for back-up.

 

DeGruchy says the RCMP will be reviewing video surveillance tape from the courthouse to see whether the prisoners were all properly secured with handcuffs and/or shackles.

 

Officers searched for Cheenanow for more than five hours, but came up empty-handed.

 

While DeGruchy urges people not to start a “man hunt”, he welcomes any tips.

 

Anyone who comes across Cheenanow is being warned not to approach him, but to alert police.

 

Cheenanow is described as an Aboriginal man, five foot seven and 192 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair, which he normally wears in a ponytail.

 

He is a member of the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation near Loon Lake, and also has ties to the Big Island Cree Territory.

 

If you have information about Cheenanow’s whereabouts, you are asked to call the Meadow Lake RCMP at 236-2570, or call Crimestoppers.