Man suspected of evading police facing several charges

A 41-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle earlier this week.

On Wednesday, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Lethbridge Police Service says an officer observed a Jeep Cherokee run a red light at the intersection of 9 Avenue and Scenic Drive North at speeds in excess of 100 km/h. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused and fled at high speed on the icy roads.

Moments later, police say they received a report that a Jeep had been stolen from a northside home. Based on the description provided and the proximity of the theft, police believed the Jeep that ran the red light and failed to stop to be the stolen Jeep.

At 7:15 p.m., police say they received a report that a Jeep Cherokee had been abandoned in an alley along the 1200 block of 9 Avenue North with its lights still on. Police attended and confirmed the Jeep was in fact the one that had been reported stolen and believed to have been involved in the fail to stop.

While police were processing the vehicle, a suspicious man was reported running through the yard of a home along the 1100 block of Stafford Drive North after images were captured on a motion-sensor security camera. In viewing the images, police say they identified the suspect.

In addition, footwear impressions were obtained in the yard and matched the impressions at the scene where the Jeep was stolen.

A short time later, police say they located the suspect and his own vehicle as he left a residence and drove to a second home. Police observed the same footwear impressions leading from the vehicle to the home.

After knocking and speaking to the suspect, police advised he was under arrest. He subsequently fled out the back door and jumped the fence. A K9 track was initiated and resulted in the suspect being located in the backyard of a home along the 900 block of 8 Street North.

He was arrested without further incident.

Kyle Lee Koch, 41, of Lethbridge is charged with theft of a vehicle, flight from a peace officer, dangerous driving, resisting arrest and two counts of breaching a recognizance.

Koch is remanded in custody awaiting a Judicial Interim Release hearing.