Arrest made in Edmonton hit-and-run that left a woman dead

A suspect wanted in connection with a deadly hit-andrun that killed a Fort Saskatchewan woman this past weekend in Edmonton has been arrested.

Alberta RCMP confirmed to Postmedia on Wednesday morning that an individual was arrested in Wainwright, located approximately 206 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, and that more details would be released soon.

The hit-and-run collision killed 45-year-old Kassandra Gartner, the Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank's executive director.

On Tuesday, Beaumont RCMP released a pair of photos of a suspect wanted in connection with the hit-and-run in hopes of identifying them.

“Additional details are not available on this quickly developing investigation at this time,” said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff in a Wednesday news release. “As this investigation develops and/or charges are laid, further updates will be provided.”

The dramatic scene began to unfold around 9 p.m. Saturday with the suspicious U-haul thought to be involved in parcel thefts in Beaumont.

The U-haul — occupied by a man and a female passenger — struck an RCMP vehicle during an attempted arrest and fled north toward Edmonton.

RCMP laid a spike belt on 50 Street near 22 Avenue SW, which damaged three civilian vehicles before disabling the U-haul. Gartner — who had exited her vehicle to check the damage — was struck and killed in the process.

The badly damaged rental truck was abandoned shortly after slamming into a second civilian vehicle and seriously wounding its occupant.

A Honda Civic that was parked outside a convenience store at the corner of 50 Street and 22 Avenue SW was stolen a short time later, police said.

A child who was inside the vehicle when it was stolen was found around two kilometres west about 10 minutes later.

The stolen Civic was found abandoned outside of Wainwright early Monday morning.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has launched an independent investigation and the RCMP is conducting an internal review of its actions.

A candlelight vigil for Gartner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Fort Saskatchewan city hall.

A post described Gartner as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and a “true pillar of the community.”

The food bank also launched a building fundraising campaign in Gartner's honour.

FORT SASKATCHEWAN FOOD BANK VIA THE CANADIAN PRESS Kassandra Gartner, 45, of Fort Saskatchewan, was killed in a hit-and-run crash during a high-speed police chase. The food-bank executive is being remembered as a wife and mother with “unwavering” dedication to helping those in need.