Suspects facing charges in Crowsnest Pass home invasion
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on October 5, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com
Three suspects in a violent home invasion in the Crowsnest Pass last month had their matters addressed briefly in Lethbridge court of justice on Wednesday.
The men, Garett Adam Ouellette, 41, Robert Russell Dwyer, 37, and Tyler Thomas Trodden, 39, remain in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre and were not required to attend court themselves; however, a lawyer for one of the men appeared and, acting as an agent for the other two, simply requested the matter be adjourned to Oct. 19 in Pincher Creek court of justice.
The suspects, who RCMP reported are members of the Rebel Motorcycle Club, face numerous charges, including aggravated assault, break, enter and commit, robbery, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon.
On Sept. 16, five men armed with weapons entered a home in Coleman and assaulted a man and woman, police reported. A third resident was also attacked by the group later after he returned home.
“The suspects are alleged to have had firearms and other weapons during the incident, which spread out onto the street, at which time police were called,” RCMP said in a news release.
RCMP officers tracked down and arrested four of the five suspects. The fifth remained unidentified as of last week.
A fourth suspect, Aaron Thompson, 40, was released from custody previously following a bail hearing. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 2 in Pincher Creek.
Ouellette and Thompson of Pincher Creek were arrested in that town on Sept. 21 and 25, respectively. Trodden was arrested in the village of Champion on Sept. 24 after police issued a shelter-in-place advisory.
During a search of Trodden’s residence, police seized two shotguns, four handguns, a replica handgun, two hatchets, a long sword, a machete, a “functioning conducted energy weapon” and a quantity of methamphetamine. RCMP said an additional 50 charges were laid against Trodden that stemmed from the search warrant.
Dwyer, who lives in Lethbridge, was arrested on Sept. 28. Police searched his home, as well, and seized a bat, hatchet, knife, two air rifles, an air pistol, three cell phones and ammunition.
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