Prince George Mounties arrested a local man last week after he tried to flee from police, nearly running over one officer.
Around 2 p.m. on Sept. 28, police observed 30-year-old Jesse Juillette, who at the time had outstanding warrants for his arrest, driving a black Chevrolet Cavalier in the 2700 block of Spruce Street. RCMP tried to stop the vehicle with “emergency equipment,” according to a press release, but Juillette “accelerated at a high rate of speed toward the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 16.”
Police called off the pursuit out of concern for public safety. Minutes later, the car was seen heading eastbound on First Avenue.
At 5 p.m. the same day, Juillette failed to stop at a roadblock that had been set up on Highway 16 East, on the west side of McBride, states the press release.
“While fleeing from police, the driver nearly ran over a McBride RCMP officer.”
With tips from the public, police located the Prince George resident at a motel near Valemount. Juillette was arrested at 10 p.m. with the help of Valemount RCMP, McBride RCMP, police dog services, RCMP air services and the North District Emergency Response Team.
Juillette has been charged with the following Criminal Code offences:
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Flight from police
- Driving while disqualified
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Failing to comply with a recognizance (four counts)
He also faces the following charges from a Sept. 15 incident in Prince George:
- Robbery
- Aggravated assault
- Assault with a weapon
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Failing to comply with a recognizance
Juillette was held in custody over the weekend and made his first court appearance in provincial court on Oct. 1. His outstanding warrants are out of Williams Lake, and stem from an incident in May 2018.
He is scheduled to appear in Prince George Provincial Court again on Oct. 10.
