(DRYDEN, ON) – A two-day manhunt has netted numerous charges for two Manitoba residents.

Members of the Dryden Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), with support from the Northwest Region Crime Unit (NWR Crime), Northwest Region Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Northwest Region Canine Unit, have arrested and charged two individuals following a two-day investigation that resulted in a stretch of Highway 17 being closed for a period of time between Meadows Road and Thunder Lake Road on November 22, 2024.

Just before 11 a.m. on November 21, 2024, members of the Dryden OPP observed a male exit a motor vehicle and steal a license plate from another vehicle. Police initiated a traffic stop on the subject vehicle; however, the driver fled from police at a high rate of speed in the vehicle. An extensive day-long search for two suspects was subsequently initiated by members of the Dryden OPP, along with OPP specialty units, including ERT and Canine.



Then, just after 6 a.m. on November 22, 2024, police received a report of a suspicious vehicle on Airport Road in the City of Dryden. Police located the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop at which point the driver sped away at a high rate of speed, intentionally striking a marked police cruiser and causing significant damage. The involved officers did not sustain any injuries as a result of the collision. The suspects matched the description of those involved in the investigation the day prior. Frontline and specialty units began searching the area for the involved suspects.

Two hours later, police received a report of a male and a female who had used a local taxi company the evening prior and did not pay their fare. Subsequent police investigation revealed the suspects matched the description of the individuals police were actively searching for.

As a result of police investigation, Nathan SCHROEDER, 38, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is charged with 21 charges pursuant to the Criminal Code of Canada, including:

Flight from peace officer – two counts
Dangerous operation – two counts
Failure to comply with release order – other than to attend court – five counts
Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 – three counts
Theft under $5,000
Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 – two counts
Assault a peace officer with a weapon – two counts
Failure to stop after accident
Resist peace officer
Theft over $5,000 of a motor vehicle
Transportation fraud
Samantha McELROY, 31, of Morris, Manitoba, is charged with nine charges pursuant to the Criminal Code of Canada, including:

Flight from peace officer – two counts
Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000
Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 – two counts
Assault a peace officer with a weapon – two counts
Theft over $5,000 from a motor vehicle
Transportation fraud
Both individuals were held in custody by police for a bail hearing before the Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora on November 23, 2024. As a result, both individuals were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora on November 25, 2024.

Police are asking residents of the areas of Airport Road/Highway 601, Barclay Hall Road, Meadows Road, Islandvue Road and surrounding areas during the time of this investigation to report any suspicious activity or unaccounted property to Dryden OPP and to check for any possible surveillance footage.

Police would also like to thank the members of the public who called in tips and sightings of the suspects throughout this investigation. Your assistance was instrumental in the safe conclusion of this multi-day investigation. Keeping our communities safe is an ongoing partnership between police and the public, leading to better crime detection and prevention.

Anyone with any additional information or surveillance footage regarding this investigation should contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or provide information anonymously by calling Crime Steppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). Crime Stoppers tips can also be submitted on-line at www.tipshelp.com.

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