Man back in hospital after stealing truck, escaping on police snowmobile: RCMP

Blake Beaulieu, 33, from Sandy Bay First Nation was charged with motor vehicle theft, flight from a peace officer and possession of a firearm. (RCMP handout)

RCMP from Ste. Rose du Lac, Man., say a man facing several charges was found after he left a hospital early Friday morning.

On Saturday, Mounties said 33-year-old Blake Beaulieu was found in Sandy Bay First Nation and was taken back to the hospital to treat his serious injuries.

According to RCMP, officers received a report about a possible impaired driver in Ebb and Flow First Nation around 11:15 a.m. Thursday.

Mounties said they found a man driving the pickup truck and tried to pull the vehicle over. However, they said the driver abandoned the truck at a home on Lake Road N.E., and ran off into the bush, removing some of his clothes in the process.

Officers discovered the pickup truck had been reported stolen from Austin, Man., and allegedly found a sawed-off shotgun inside.

RCMP police dogs, First Nation Safety Officers and members of the local fire department came to help in the search, with some using snowmobiles and a drone.

Mounties said the suspect was found deep in the snow by officers on their snowmobiles. While they were trying to arrest him, they alleged the man got away using one of their vehicles.

The drone helped officers locate the man, who wasn’t too far away. Once the snowmobile got stuck, police say the man walked toward a road. By the time he was arrested, RCMP say the man wasn’t wearing shoes and was suffering from extreme frostbite.

The man was taken to hospital in serious condition.

The next morning, RCMP discovered the man left the hospital with someone’s help.

Beaulieu was charged with motor vehicle theft, flight from a peace officer and possession of a firearm. The charges haven’t been tested in court.