The Yukon RCMP made four arrests and laid firearms charges against one man following a collision on the Alaska Highway on April 12.
According to an April 16 notice from the Whitehorse RCMP, police were called about a vehicle rollover on the highway north of Crestview at 5:20 p.m. on April 12. Officers observed a blue Honda Civic in the ditch and heard that a pickup truck had left the scene.
“As police attempted to gather information about the collision, the occupant of the vehicle who had initially remained fled the scene on foot. He was located nearby and arrested at approximately 7 p.m. by Whitehorse RCMP general duty officers and Yukon RCMP police dog services,” the RCMP notice reads.
As officers investigated, they were able to identify three occupants of the pickup truck and locate them nearby. They were arrested for failure to stop after an incident and during searches related to the arrest, police found one person in possession of a firearm and another with multiple small packages of what they believe is cocaine. One was also found to have provided police with a false name and was arrested for outstanding warrants on unrelated offences.
Police say they charged 27-year-old Jessi-John Whalen, a Whitehorse resident, with prohibited driving, failing to stop at an incident, carrying a concealed weapon and unauthorized firearm possession.
The RCMP declined to share the names of the other individuals involved but noted that they will have upcoming court appearances.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and police are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage. The Whitehorse can be reached at 867-667-5555. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersyukon.ca or by phone at 867-667-6715.
(Jim Elliot)