Man faces 17 charges after standoff in St. Brides area

A man faces 17 charges including forcible confinement and pointing a firearm after a “civil emergency alert” was issued by RCMP Sunday night for the County of St. Paul.

A roadblock was placed on Highway 36 and a civil emergency alert was issued for the area of St. Brides, about 180 km northeast of Edmonton, just before 9 p.m. Sunday. The alert was cancelled just before 9 a.m. Monday.

On Monday afternoon, RCMP said they responded to a call about a man possibly armed and barricaded at a home on Saddle Lake Cree Nation. When police arrived, they learned a woman and man were inside. The man refused to leave, and the woman remained inside.

The RCMP’s emergency response team (ERT) from Edmonton, police dog services and RCMP air services were then dispatched. Police said traffic was rerouted on Highway 36 near St. Brides as a precaution.

Police had continuous contact with the woman and man, who were known to each other. Around 11 p.m. Sunday, the woman left the home unharmed. At 7 a.m. Monday, ERT members entered the home and arrested the man without incident.

Two firearms and ammunition were seized.

The regional director of emergency management enacted a civil emergency around the area as a precaution, said RCMP.

Stacey Kyle Cardinal, 31, of Saddle Lake is charged with multiple offences, including forcible confinement, pointing a firearm, uttering threats, assault with a weapon, careless use of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, failure to comply with court conditions and resisting arrest.

Cardinal was remanded into custody after a hearing and is set to appear in St. Paul provincial court via closed circuit TV on March 2.