All charges dropped against retired Sturgeon County soldier

Jason Boutilier is off the hook from charges stemming from an incident last year.

In February of 2021, the Morinville RCMP was called to a hit and run on Highway 2 and Township Road 552 in Sturgeon County. A witness said a Ford truck rammed the victim's vehicle off the highway before driving off.

After a two-month-long investigation, police arrested Boutilier and charged him with assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, and committing mischief to property endangering life. Mounties said Boutilier knew the victim.

However, the last charge was withdrawn shortly after his trial started and the prosecution withdrew the other three charges on Tuesday (Mar. 15).

According to Boutilier, they found insufficient evidence against him. Boutilier said he is upset for being wrongly charged and felt the RCMP did not handle the investigation well.

"I'm not convicted of any of these crimes. Evidently, the prosecution determined that there's no way that I am also guilty of these crimes, so they went ahead and withdrew them. That would be my version of clearing the air."

Boutilier is a retired soldier from Sturgeon County. In 2018, he was deployed to help with the B.C. flood relief efforts and was given a Joint Task Force Pacific Commendation for being instrumental in recovering 90 per cent of vehicle casualties along the route of the operation area.