A man is facing 15 charges for allegedly beating up an RCMP officer, stealing his police car, then crashing the vehicle a short time later during a drunken incident in Slave Lake early Saturday.Mounties say the incident happened after RCMP in Slave Lake responded to a call about a single-vehicle collision in the town. An RCMP officer arrived to find an intoxicated man, believed to be the driver of the vehicle, walking around.

When the officer tried to take the man into custody, the suspect allegedly attacked the officer, punching him repeatedly in the face. RCMP say the man then “fought his way to the patrol car,” stole it and fled the area.

Other RCMP officers found the stolen cruiser about a kilometre away. When the man tried to flee again, he crashed the police car. RCMP say the suspect again fought with officers, but was taken into custody.

High Prairie resident William Lorne Rumbley, 39, faces a total of 15 charges, including robbery, assault on a police officer and failing to comply with probation. Rumbley will appear in court on Wednesday.

The injured officer was treated in hospital for bruises and cuts.