A teenager from Tolstoi was arrested on a number of charges after fleeing from police on two separate occasions earlier this month.

On May 13th at approximately 11:14 pm, Steinbach RCMP Municipal Traffic Services was stationed on Main Street monitoring the traffic when the Automatic License Plate Reader picked up a vehicle with an inactive registration. Subsequent checks completed on the license plates showed that this was not the proper vehicle and were not associated with the red Mustang being driven. The officer then followed the vehicle and attempted to pull it over by activating the emergency lights. The vehicle then sped off at a high rate of speed, not stopping at stop signs. The officer did not pursue it for public safety reasons.

At 2:30 the next morning, the same vehicle and same driver fled from another police vehicle in La Broquerie. Again, the police did not pursue the vehicle for public safety reasons.

Then, on May 20th, an officer located the red Mustang while it was stopped in the drive-thru at a local restaurant. The youth was arrested for numerous charges under the Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code. The youth also had an outstanding warrant.

The driver, a 16-year-old male youth from Tolstoi was released and is to attend Steinbach Provincial Court.

Steinbach RCMP would like to remind all drivers, as well as registered owners, that fleeing from the police is a Criminal Code offense and is being taken seriously.