Two men charged in roadside killing of Rocky View County worker to be tried together

The two suspects arrested after a fatal shooting at a rural intersection east of Calgary in early August will be tried together, despite the pair being charged separately.

RCMP say 35-year-old Arthur Wayne Penner and 28-year-old Elijah Blake Strawberry headed out to Rocky View County on Aug. 6 to look for a new vehicle after the one they had stolen the day before in Calgary was partially disabled in a minor accident.

It’s alleged the suspects burned the stolen vehicle, with a plan to steal the truck of a FortisAlberta employee working near Range Road 282 and Township Road 250, just north of Chestermere.

That’s when Rocky View County worker Colin Hough pulled over to help, according to police, which led to the suspects shooting him and the Fortis employee. Hough was later pronounced dead at the scene and the Fortis worker suffered serious injuries.

The two suspects then stole Hough’s Rocky View County pickup truck and drove northeast to Wheatland County, before dumping it.

A shelter-in-place alert was issued after police located the abandoned truck using a GPS system, and was eventually ended after RCMP determined the pair were no longer in the area.

Penner was arrested on Aug. 11 with the help of Edmonton police. Strawberry was arrested at a home on O’Chiese First Nation on Sep. 13 after more than a month-long manhunt.

Penner is facing charges for first-degree murder and attempted murder, and Strawberry for second-degree murder and attempted murder.

The Crown told court in Calgary Thursday that although the two men were charged separately they will be tried together when the case goes to trial.

The case is due back in court on Oct. 10.

With files from The Canadian Press