A 26-year-old Yorkton man is facing 23 charges in connection to an RCMP investigation after a traffic stop on Highway 9 near Carlyle on Thursday. Around 4:30 p.m., March 6th, an RCMP officer with Weyburn Combined Traffic Service Saskatchewan noticed a vehicle speeding and conducted a traffic stop. The officer reported that the driver smelled of cannabis so roadside tests were administered, which determined he had consumed cannabis and cocaine.

In a news release, RCMP say the driver began acting erratically, so the officer requested backup from nearby CTSS officers. The drive then attempted to flee on foot and police say he resisted officers while being arrested, biting and attempting to disarm an officer.

Among the items seized by police are a loaded handgun, a 3D-printed semi-automatic rifle, about 133 grams of crack cocaine, around 36 grams of magic mushrooms, 23 grams of illicit cannabis, and 50 grams of cannabis shatter.

Some of the 23 charges for Austin Ross are disarming and assaulting a police officer, trafficking cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a firearm known it is unauthorized and unlicensed possession of a restricted/prohibited weapon with ammunition.
He was also arrested for breaching a conditional sentence order. He appears in Estevan Provincial Court on Monday.