Standoff woman may have charges resolved

A Standoff woman accused of striking a police officer with her car after she was arrested earlier this month, may resolve her charges when she returns to court next week.

Defence had hoped to resolve Sarah Cheyenne Goodstriker’s matters during a hearing Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court, but opted instead to discuss the case further with the Crown.

The matter is set to return to court Tuesday. In the meantime, Goodstriker remains in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre and will appear in court by closed-circuit TV.

Police reported that at about 2:30 p.m. Feb. 3 officers patrolling the 200 block of 15 Street North noticed a parked Chrysler Sebring, in which a woman had fled following an incident two days earlier. Police approached a home and saw the woman inside, along with a man with outstanding warrants.

Police arrested and handcuffed the two individuals as they left the home, and an officer went to the passenger side of the suspect car to retrieve the woman’s purse. The woman jumped into the driver’s seat — with the handcuffs now in front of her — locked the doors, started the vehicle without a key and quickly accelerated in reverse, striking the officer. She then drove onto 13 Street North and sped away. The officer who was struck sustained minor injuries.

Blood Tribe police found the woman on the Blood Reserve later that night and arrested her without further incident. She was taken back to Lethbridge and the vehicle was seized.

Goodstriker, 28, was charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, escaping lawful custody, dangerous driving, obstructing a peace officer, intent to avoid arrest, and flight from a peace officer.