On Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016 just before 8:15 p.m. EPS Canine Unit observed a suspicious vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed in the area of 127 Avenue and 9 Street. Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop; however the vehicle fled from police heading southbound on Anthony Henday Drive.
Air-1 quickly tracked the suspicious minivan (Dodge Caravan) and observed the vehicle driving erratically in Edmonton, Beaumont and Strathcona County for over an hour. The suspect vehicle was speeding in excess of 120 km/h at times. As the vehicle drove back into city limits, patrol members deployed a spike belt downtown near police headquarters. The vehicle came to a stop in the old Remand Centre parking lot and Canine Unit blocked the suspicious vehicle from driving off again. The driver of the vehicle then fled on foot with 80 g of methamphetamines with a street value of $6,300 but was apprehended by a police service dog (PSD) shortly thereafter.
The driver of the vehicle allegedly assaulted PSD Jagger, resulting in non-life threatening injuries to the dog.
PSD Jagger
Police recovered a loaded handgun, ammunition, bear spray, a hatchet, and an undisclosed amount of cash from the vehicle.
Ryan James Prystay, 33, is charged with flight from peace officer,dangerous driving, injure or endanger a law enforcement animal, possession for the purpose of trafficking, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle, possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon, possession of an offensive weapon dangerous to the public(x3), careless storage of firearm/weapon/ammunition (x2), possession of stolen property under $5,000.
The accused is known to police.
The arrest was possible by collaboration between the Edmonton Police Service Canine Unit, Air-1, Traffic Section, patrol units from Northeast Division, Southeast Division, Southwest Division, Downtown Division and the RCMP.