Police dog sniffs out dangerous-driving suspect after crash

RCMP dog Kaos helped track down a dangerous-driving suspect in Clarke’s Beach after a vehicle speeding past other drivers lost control and crashed in the community on Monday.

Shortly after 4 p.m. Monday, police received reports of a dangerous driver in Clarke’s Beach. The described vehicle pulled out and passed several drivers at high speed before losing control and crashing into a concrete barrier in a construction zone, the RCMP stated in a news release.

Following the crash, police said the people inside the vehicle ran from the scene.

Mounties and police dogs responded to the scene, and police dog Kaos tracked the suspected driver through several residential properties.

The man, Mark Bartlett, of Marysvale, was found hiding in some bushes near a playground and arrested.

Police said Kaos also found a discarded backpack. While searching the backpack, officers found items police said were consistent with possession for the purpose of drug trafficking, including quantities of cash, suspected cocaine and various prescription pills, as well as numerous cellphones.

The vehicle was seized and is being held as part of the investigation.

Bartlett was scheduled to attend court Tuesday and is charged with dangerous operation of motor vehicle, prohibited operation of a motor vehicle, obstructing a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and failing to comply with conditions of a court release order.

Bay Roberts RCMP is looking for any witnesses or surveillance footage leading up to the crash, which involved a 2010 gold-coloured four-door Subaru Outback. The investigation is continuing.