Chris Clegg
South Peace News
What started as a rather innocent incident quickly ballooned to a far more serious matter for a Peace River man in late March.
On March 24, Peace River Regional RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Highway 986 and Range Road 203 in Peace River. Police found a man sleeping inside.
“Upon arrival, a mandatory alcohol screening was completed, to which the driver passed; however shortly after RCMP departed as there were no charges identified, the driver, Russell William Pasquan, 34, a resident of Peace River, began driving erratically,” says Const. Julie-Ann Strilaiff, public information officer, Peace Regional RCMP, in a news release April 4.
RCMP located Pasquan and later charged him with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. Matters quickly worsened, however.
“A search of Pasquan and the vehicle, led to additional charges of possession of a firearm when unauthorized, possession a firearm in a motor vehicle, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking for suspected cocaine and methamphetamine.”
Police found about 53.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 29.7 grams of suspected cocaine, and seized an assortment of drug paraphernalia including scales, baggies, measuring devices and containers.
Pasquan was brought before a Justice of the Peace, where he was remanded with a court date of April 7 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Peace River.