The first of three men accused of impersonating police officers during a home invasion in the Eastern Hillsides last month will stay in jail after he was denied bail at a hearing in provincial court in Chilliwack on April 9.
A publication ban forbids reporting the details of the Crown’s allegations against Matthew Pelletier who is accused in the alleged March 23 incident alongside Robert Hugo Grattan and Michael Lee-Reid.
Neither Grattan nor Lee-Reid have yet had a bail hearing but are scheduled to do so later in April.
Chilliwack RCMP released information about the alleged incident that began on Falls Court in the early hours of March 23.
After receiving a report of a home invasion, police arrived to find a white SUV fleeing the scene. The vehicle hit a police spike belt, carried on crashing into a police vehicle before heading towards on Highway 1 where the driver sped westbound in the eastbound lanes.
A dramatic video of the incident showed sparks flying as the SUV sped along the highway eventually crashing into a barrier near Prest Road.
• READ MORE: WATCH: Sparks fly as SUV speeds down wrong side of Highway 1 in Chilliwack trying to flee police
One of the three men was taken into custody at the wreck, the second after a brief foot race with officers, and the third when located hiding in nearby bushes.
Pelletier and Lee-Reid faces one count each of break and enter with intent to commit an offence, robbery, unlawful confinement or imprisonment, and personating a peace officer. Grattan faces one count each of break and enter, robbery and unlawful confinement or imprisonment.
Grattan has a serious history with home invasions, having been convicted of manslaughter for a home invasion in Harrison Hot Springs back in 2007.
• READ MORE: Man accused in Chilliwack home invasion once convicted of manslaughter
He was 22 years old at the time and had a history of serious drug use from age 14. Justice William Grist sentenced him an a co-accused Nicole Amanda Birch to nine years in jail.
Grattan was included in the Surrey RCMP’s top 10 most wanted list from December 2016.
Pelletier is next scheduled for a court appearance in Chilliwack on April 30.
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