Arrests reveal warrants

Turner Valley RCMP apprehended two individuals last week who had more than 50 warrants out for their arrest. The police responded to a call from a man expressing concerns about his safety on Oct. 17 at 1:27 a.m. Upon responding, they arrested and placed into custody Michael Cote-Bouchard, 37, of no fixed address, who was wanted on 26 outstanding warrants out of Banff and Calgary. “He was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and was disoriented and making some unrealistic concerns about his safety,” said Turner Valley RCMP Staff Sgt. Dwayne Helgeson. “He was throwing some names out in the organized crime world that they were coming to get him.” Cote-Bouchard was remanded into custody and appeared in Okotoks Provincial Court Oct. 19 on the Banff matters and Calgary provincial court on Oct. 22 on the Calgary matters. The court dates were put over to Oct. 22 and 25 respectively. Later on Oct. 17, at around 3:30 p.m., RCMP received a tip about a woman walking along Highway 7 near Black Diamond who was wanted on warrants. Deanna Hart, 33, of Black Diamond, was wanted on 28 outstanding warrants in Turner Valley, Okotoks and Wood Buffalo. “She’s well known in the area as being a criminal and a passerby saw her walking on Highway 7 west into Black Diamond,” Helgeson said. “We knew she had a bunch of warrants and wanted to arrest her.” Helgeson said when RCMP approached her, she ran into a nearby farmer’s field where police pursued her. “She ran a whole quarter section across,” he said. After the chase, Hart surrendered and was taken into custody without incident. Hart now faces additional charges of escaping lawful custody and breach of recognizance. Hart was remanded into custody and appeared in Okotoks provincial court via CCTV on Oct. 19 on all matters, which was put over to Nov. 2. Helgeson said Oct. 17 was a good day for the local detachment. “We had over 50 warrants between two people in multiple jurisdictions so that really clears things up,” he said. “It clears up a lot of the warrants in the system.”