Stolen vehicle investigation leads to river arrest in Medicine Hat

Medicine Hat Police say that a stolen vehicle investigation in the city escalated into a multi-stage response that ended with the arrest of a 27-year-old man in the South Saskatchewan River.

On June 15, 2026, the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) received a report of a stolen vehicle in the Southeast Hill area. Officers located the vehicle shortly after and attempted a traffic stop. The driver then fled at a high rate of speed, and police did not pursue the vehicle due to public safety concerns.

Later on Monday, at an unrelated call downtown, officers encountered the same individual believed to be connected to the earlier stolen vehicle. When officers attempted to arrest him, he fled on foot and entered the South Saskatchewan River in an effort to evade police.

With assistance from the MHPS Police Service Dog (K9) unit, officers safely apprehended the man and removed him from the water. Police say he continued to resist arrest and attempted to flee again before being taken into custody.