CLARENVILLE, N.L. — A 37-year-old man from St. John’s is likely facing a number of serious charges after a 12-hour crime spree that started Tuesday night in Clarenville.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, it all started around 8 o’clock Tuesday evening when they received a report of a suspicious man at a local motel.
Police confirmed that the individual, Kevin Roberts, was already wanted by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary on an arrest warrant of committal to be incarcerated for previous offences, but when they arrived to arrest him, they found Roberts had left on foot.
The RCMP allege Roberts stole a Newfoundland Power truck in Clarenville, drove it through the security gate and onto the Manitoba Drive and Memorial Drive intersection where he sideswiped a vehicle before fleeing at a high rate of speed. The two occupants of the other vehicle sustained injuries.
Not long after, Roberts was allegedly involved in a head-on collision near the Shoal Harbour Causeway which left the other driver injured.
With his stolen vehicle extensively damaged, Roberts is alleged to have fled on foot only to flag down a motorist on the road and hijack the vehicle by physically removing the female driver and assaulting the teenage passenger in the process.
Some time later, the RCMP spotted Roberts and the new stolen vehicle on Route 230 near the Clarenville airstrip. When officers attempted to stop his vehicle, Roberts is alleged to have turned off his headlights and “drive in a dangerous manner,” causing the RCMP to call of their pursuit because of the risk to other motorists.
The RCMP’s last sighting was near Terra Nova Park and, sure enough, near 8 a.m. this morning Clarenville RCMP were notified of damage to the Terra Nova Golf Course and a break-in at a Terra Nova Park office.
Shortly after 9 a.m. this morning, RCMP officers located and arrested Roberts without incident outside of a residence in Port Blandford.
Roberts will be in court this afternoon where the RCMP says the warrant of committal will be enforced and he’ll face charges of break and enter and being unlawfully at large.
Other charges the RCMP say they are pursuing include flight from police, theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation, assault, fail to remain at the scene of an accident, and mischief damage to property over $5000.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (TIPS is 8477), by Secure Web Tips at nlcrimestoppers.com, or by downloading our free and secure mobile app P3 Tips.
