An Indian Head RCMP Officer who went to school in Yorkton died in the line of duty while following two suspects who were driving a stolen pick-up truck from Manitoba.
Constable Shelby Patton was struck and killed by a truck on June 12, and as a result of an investigation, two individuals, an adult male and an adult female, have been arrested and charged.
41-year-old Alphonse Stanley Traverse and 42-year-old Marlene Velma Louise Pagee, both from Winnipeg, Manitoba, were charged with numerous charges, including manslaughter. Both individuals have been remanded in custody and were in Regina court on Monday.
Investigators have determined that Indian Head RCMP received a complaint reporting that a stolen pick-up truck from Manitoba was in the community of Wolseley. The complaint was dispatched to Constable Shelby Patton, who drove to the community to investigate the complaint.
At 7:50 a.m., Cst. Patton located the stolen pick-up truck and initiated a traffic stop. During the course of the stop, while outside of his police vehicle, Cst. Patton was struck and killed by the truck.
Six minutes later, Indian Head RCMP received an urgent dispatch mentioning an RCMP officer had been struck by a vehicle and was in cardiac arrest. Members of the public were on scene and performed first aid until the arrival of EMS and police, but Cst. Patton was declared deceased at the scene.
At 8:38 a.m., a farmer near Odessa called 911 to report that occupants of a white pick-up truck were on their property and stole one of their trucks. Police responded and searched the area for the two stolen vehicles.
Police located the white pick-up truck stuck in the mud of a field near Francis, approximately one mile away from the abandoned farmer’s truck. The suspects fled on foot and were arrested just before 10 a.m., without incident, with the assistance of a police dog and police officers.
“We have received an outpouring of support and condolence messages in person, in writing and on social media from across Canada and beyond. These messages help us through this difficult time. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to let us know they share our grief. Our thoughts remain with the family, friends, colleagues and community of Constable Patton," said Assistant-Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, Commanding Officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP.
Constable Patton’s family has informed Saskatchewan RCMP a fraudulent Go-Fund-Me page has been created in the name of Constable Patton. Please do not give money to this account in the name of Sam Joseph or promote this account’s activities. RCMP have advised that the Go Fund Me account is fraudulent.
The investigation into the death of Constable Shelby Patton continues.
