Medicine Hat man leads police on high-speed chase across southern Alberta

By Medicine Hat News on June 15, 2017.

A Medicine Hat man has been charged by the RCMP after they say a stolen truck was used to ram two cruisers then used in a two-hour long, high-speed chase across southern Alberta on Wednesday afternoon.

The RCMP Serious Crimes Branch is investigating after detachments in Raymond, Bow Island, Taber, Lethbridge Picture Butte and Coaldale all took part before the truck was stopped in Foremost when another cruiser took it off the road.

In custody are driver Joshua Schmaltz, 31, of Medicine Hat, who was wanted on other charges, and passenger Lori Malinsky, 39, of Taber. Both were wanted on other charges. Investigators say they located a rifle, a shotgun, and a loaded sawed-off shotgun inside the vehicle.

A release from the RCMP states that the Dodge pickup, which matched the description of one stolen in May, was observed backing out of a driveway in Raymond.

With other officers joining the chase, the following two-hour pursuit reached speeds of 170 kilometres per hour before it was knocked off the road.

The two occupants were arrested outside Foremost without further incident, according to police.

Schmaltz was wanted on charges including forcible confinement, assault and escaping lawful custody.

Malinsky was also wanted for several offences including theft, possession of stolen property and flight from police. Additional charges relating to yesterday’s events have yet to be sworn.

One officer received minor injuries during the collisions.

Because a firearm was discharged the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team will be required to file a report.

Note: This story has been updated to correct that the chase happened Wednesday afternoon, not Thursday.