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By paNOW Staff

Crime and court

Bear spray, house fire, police pursuit, loaded, sawed-off rifle all part of RCMP investigation northwest of P.A.

Jul 22, 2025 | 12:05 PM

Last Friday morning began in a chaotic fashion for members of the Prince Albert RCMP who attended a house fire in the community of Little Red River.

Officers were called around 7:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found the home fully engulfed in flames. Two occupants escaped and were taken to hospital by EMS with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators determined individuals known to the occupants entered the home, discharged bear spray, took various items, ignited a fire and then fled in a vehicle.

Police found the suspects around 8 a.m. outside of a home on Sturgeon Lake First Nation, but when they approached, the suspects fled in two vehicles – a car and a truck. The truck wouldn’t stop for police and the car rammed an RCMP cruiser multiple times before fleeing. No officers were injured.

During the chase, occupants in the car threw an item out the window. A loaded, sawed-off rifle and a magazine were later recovered. The car eventually came to a stop and the driver and two occupants were arrested. Police also seized a butane torch lighter, bear mace, an edged weapon, ammunition and stolen property when they searched the vehicle.

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Two individuals from Sturgeon Lake First Nation – Rachelle Ballantyne, 26, and Cody Naytowhow, 28, and 20-year-old Kara Larson from Prince Albert face multiple charges including assault on a police officer with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, mischief, robbery and firearms charges among others.

All three made their first appearances in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Monday and are expected to reappear on Wednesday.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com