On December 23, 2019, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Peace Regional RCMP responded to a rural area for a possible sighting of a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The stolen vehicle was taken from a fenced compound of a Grimshaw area business earlier the same morning. Police located the vehicle parked on a range road with a lone male occupant sleeping inside. The man awoke as police approached and placed the vehicle in motion, driving over a tire deflation device that had been deployed. The vehicle was then driven at an occupied police vehicle, colliding with it, before fleeing toward Grimshaw on Highway 2.  

A short pursuit was initiated and the vehicle became immobilized as a result of the tire deflation deployment and came to rest in the Grimshaw town site. The occupant of the vehicle attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by police at the scene after a brief foot chase. 

As a result of the investigation, 33-year-old Michael Jeffrey Ginter of Grande Prairie was charged with multiple criminal offences. These include possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, operation of a motor vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public, operation of a motor vehicle while being pursued by a peace officer, operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited from doing so, obstruction of a peace officer, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, 6 counts of failing to comply with conditions of a release order, and 3 counts of mischief by damaging property.

He was remanded into custody after a judicial hearing and will be appearing in Peace River Provincial Court on January 13, 2020.  Police would like to thank the public for their assistance in this matter, which remains under investigation at this time. Should you have information relating to this or any other crime, please contact the Peace Regional RCMP detachment at 780-624-6677. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.P3Tips.com.