Two men who had police in two provinces in hot pursuit are still trying to get bail but remain in custody.
Lucas Aaron Oakes, 24, from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, and Jesse Leigh Heathen, 33, from Lloydminster, had another bail hearing in Lloydminster Provincial Court Aug. 24. They also had bail hearings on Aug. 17.
Oakes, Heathen and Montana Horse, 21, from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, were all arrested July 29 after a shooting in Onion Lake Cree Nation a car crash in Lloydminster, Alta., two unsuccessful and one successful carjacking in Lloydminster, shots fired at innocent victims and vehicles were stolen.
Police say they got a call at about 5 p.m. on July 29 that a man was shot on Onion Lake Cree Nation. He was taken to hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries.
The suspects allegedly then went 30 kilometres south to Lloydminster and tried carjacking two vehicles at gunpoint after crashing their vehicle. They were able to steal a truck from an individual in their third carjacking attempt.
RCMP in Alberta and Saskatchewan started two pursuits but called off both over public safety concerns. At one point the suspect vehicle drove into oncoming traffic on in the westbound lanes on Hwy 16, a four-lane divided highway.
Around 7 p.m. Maidstone, Sask. RCMP got a call about a stolen truck near the junction of Hwy 16 and Hwy 303. The vehicle was located in Lloydminster later that day and Horse was arrested. Horse was charged with possession of property obtained by crime, possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of failing to comply with conditions. She was also wanted by the police at the time of her arrest. Horse and Oakes were two of 11 who were the first charged under the Saskatchewan Public Health Act during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Horse was released on bail after appearing in court in August and is scheduled to appear next in Lloydminster Provincial Court Sept. 14.
Around 7:30 p.m. RCMP got a report that a truck was stuck near Hillmond. No one was at the vehicle when RCMP arrived but the Mounties finally got their men when they found Oakes and Heathen walking on a road nearby.
Both Oakes and Heathen were charged with theft of a truck, robbery using a firearm, discharge of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, assault, uttering threats and flight from police. Heathen was charged with several more offences and Oakes was charged with 15 additional offences, including seven charges in connection to the Onion Lake shooting.
Heathen was also charged in connection to a home invasion on Ministikwan First Nation in December 2018. In July 2019 the matter was sent to Battelford Court of Queen's Bench for trial but the Crown prosecutor in Meadow Lake issued a stay of proceedings on March 26, 2020.
The charges against the three haven’t been proven in court.
Both Oakes and Heathen remain in custody and their show cause hearings continue Sept. 14 in Lloydminster Provincial Court.
