ATHABASCA - A 28-year-old Calling Lake man faces multiple charges after police say he swung a machete at them.
According to a Dec. 23 RCMP press release, shortly after midnight Dec. 21 two Athabasca RCMP members were on patrol on the Jean Baptiste Gambler No. 183 Reserve near Calling Lake.
Police spotted a man and a woman walking on Park Drive; both parties were known to be wanted on outstanding warrants.
The members stopped their crusier and advised the suspects that they were under arrest. The two then fled across the roadway and police pursued the man on foot towards the tree line.
As police got close enough to tackle him, the man turned and swung a machete at the officer.
The officer was able to avoid being struck and pushed the suspect to the ground. The other officer followed the suspect to the ground and a fight ensued.
The officer successfully took the machete from the man and completed the arrest without further incident.
The suspect, Joel Houle-Auger, was taken before a justice of the peace and charged with assaulting a police officer, two charges of failing to comply with a probation order, possession of break-in tools and resisting a police officer.
He has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Athabasca Provincial Court Jan. 13, 2020.
