WESTLOCK – A Westlock County man who was the subject of a police hunt has been granted bail in St. Albert Court of Justice.
Rick Ernest Atzler, 31, has been in custody since his arrest on Oct. 3 and a bail hearing was scheduled on Oct. 21, but instead, the prosecutor told the Court that she was consenting to his release.
Crown Prosecutor Caitlin McKall told the court that after “lengthy discussions” with defence lawyer Adam Chadi she agreed to bail with strict conditions, including 24-hour house arrest with the standard emergent exceptions.
“There will be no further consent releases,” she said.
For bail, Atzler paid $1,500 and his mother put up a $2,500 surety.
In addition, Justice Bruce Garriock ordered him to enrol for addictions treatment, not to have contact with three people, not possess any weapons, not get behind the steering wheel of any vehicle without written permission from the registered owner, or the owner present, and keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
For necessities of life, Atzler will be allowed out of his 24-hour house arrest in Fawcett for four hours a week but only in the presence of his surety, which is his mother.
Atzler was wanted after an incident on Sept. 19 where police say he pointed a firearm at someone and had threatened to kill them.
Police responded immediately but by the time they arrived at the rural Westlock County home, the suspect had fled. This prompted Westlock RCMP to release Atzler’s photo and issue an alert saying Atzler was wanted and considered armed and dangerous.
On Oct. 3, Westlock RCMP using a drone, and with help from Redwater RCMP and K Division Police Dog Services, located Atzler about 60 kilometres from Westlock at a home in the Hamlet of Opal.
In the Westlock County incident, Atzler is charged with two counts of threatening to cause death/bodily harm, assault causing bodily harm, assault, pointing a firearm, two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in a vehicle, possession of a firearm knowing its possession was unauthorized, criminal harassment, careless use of a firearm, and failing to comply with a release order.
Court heard that he also has charges in Morinville and Fort Saskatchewan courts. He is scheduled to appear in those courts on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 respectively.
