Police lay 27 charges against 4 people in weekend carjackings

Four people, including a father and son duo,have been charged in connection to three carjackings in Calgary on Saturday.

One involved a handgun and two others involved assault in one casea woman,an elderly couple in the other.

Police said Saturday the level of violence used in the carjackingswas a concern.

• 3 carjackings in 1 day have Calgary police concerned about level of violence

In total, 27 charges have been laid against four people in the three cases.

Edgemont stolen Toyota Tacoma

The first incident occurred in the northwest community of Edgemont shortly before 5 a.m.

Police say a man was parked in a blue Toyota Tacomain the 5100 block of Country Hills Boulevard when two men approached the truck and pulled out a handgun.

The man got out of the truck and the offenders took off, driving erratically throughout the northwest before finally beingstopped on 14th Avenue near SAITafter a police pursuit.

The suspects a 46-year-old man and his 17-year-old son were taken into custody. Their nameswere withheld to protect the teen's identity, who is being charged as a youth.

The 46-year-old has been charged with robbery with a restricted or prohibited firearm, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while being pursued by police.

The 17-year-old faces nine charges, including robbery with a restricted or prohibited firearm, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and possession of a firearm knowing the serial number has been altered.

17thAvenue S.W. assault

The second incident started shortly before 1 p.m. at a gas station in southwest Calgary.

According to police, aman entered a gas station in the 3900 block of 17th Avenue S.W. and damagedproperty and assaulted two clerks.

The man fled and began jumping in front of moving cars on 17thAvenue. Police say the man blocked a 2010 AcuraMDXstopped at a light,forced his way into the passenger seat and assaulted the female driver by striking her in the head several times.

The offender yelled at the female victim to drive.

A patrol officer spotted the car in the 1300 block of 37th Street S.W. as it approached a red light. The offender jumped out as the driver slowed and was arrested after a short struggle.

Charles Clairoux, 23, from Red Deer, was charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, mischiefand resisting arrest.

Sunridgeassault

The third incident happened around 2:30 p.m. in the northeast community of Sunridge. Police say an elderlycouple parked their 2010 Ford Edge and headed into a business in the 3400 block of 26th Avenue N.E.

They were approached by a man whotried to get the car keys, which were inside the man's pants pocket. Thetwo began wrestling, police said.

The suspect managed to get the keys and drove off in the car, hitting the elderly woman and a nearby building in the process.

Soon after, witnesses reported the vehicle driving recklessly near Sarcee Trail and Richmond Road S.W. The HAWCShelicopterfollowedthe vehicle to Highway 8 and Stone Pine Way S.W., where a man got out and was arrested.

Dylan Nathaniel Altenhofen, 24, who is from Calgary, has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, hit and run causing bodily harm, robbery, driving while disqualified and failing to comply with a probation order.

He also faces three counts of hit and run and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

The woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries but has been released. The man received minor injuries.