Onion Lake and North Battleford RCMP officers saved the life of a suspect who is facing charges after a vehicle theft.
Onion Lake RCMP stopped a stolen vehicle on Highway 797 near Onion Lake Cree Nation at approximately 6:05 p.m. on Dec. 3.
Dog handler Cpl. Colin Pyne and police service dog Soap with the North Battleford RCMP arrived at the scene within minutes and joined Onion Lake officer Constable Michael Page to help find the suspect.
The officer’s walked more than 12 kilometres, following the driver’s tracks in the snow.
The suspect was found lightly dressed in the woods north of Highway 797 and west of Boundary Road over two hours later.
RCMP say the driver fell in the snow and the officers picked him up and requested for Emergency Medical Services to meet them on Highway 797.
The suspect was escorted to a police vehicle on the highway and officers took off his wet jacket and shoes and placed an emergency blanket over him.
Onion Lake EMS arrived shortly and the suspect was treated for hypothermia and low blood sugar.
The paramedics estimated that the driver was 5-10 minutes away from going into a diabetic coma and that he would have died if he had not been found, as the temperature was -8 C.
(Photo of Cpl. Colin Pyne and police service dog Soap provided by RCMP)