Subjects of Antigonish County emergency alert facing charges: N.S. RCMP

A RCMP vehicle is pictured on July 3, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Callum Smith)

The subjects of an emergency alert issued in Nova Scotia’s Antigonish County Tuesday afternoon are facing charges.

An RCMP officer tried to pull over a Ford F-150 with heavy front-end damage and an unattached Alberta licence plate in the Pompquet Forks area around 11:20 a.m.

Police say the truck driver went down a dead-end road and crossed a river before getting stuck on the opposite side.

The driver and passenger got out of the truck and allegedly fled on foot.

Police say the officer recognized the passenger as a man wanted for possession of a firearm, assault with weapon, and other offences.

The driver was not known to the officer, though the officer believed he had a handgun.

An Alert Ready emergency alert was issued to Antigonish County at 12:12 p.m. warning of “dangerous people” believed to have firearms.

Residents were told to seek shelter or stay inside and not to pick up hitchhikers.

The RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, police dogs and a drone were deployed to help find the men.

One was taken into custody just before 1 p.m., the other was arrested about an hour later.

Police say no firearms were found.

The emergency alert was then cancelled and police said there was no longer a risk to public safety.

The driver of the truck, 48-year-old George William Bowles from Heatherton, is facing the following charges:

• flight from police
• dangerous operation of conveyance
• operation of conveyance while prohibited
• obstruction
• fail to comply with probation order

Jerry Lee Ledrew, 33, from Paq’tnkek First Nation, has been charged with:

• assault with a weapon
• pointing a firearm
• using an imitation weapon in the commission of an offence
• possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
• possession of weapon contrary to order

They both appeared in Antigonish provincial court on Wednesday.

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