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UPDATED: Young Mountie from Aldergrove killed in Alberta collision

Motorist, allegedly impaired, charged after Mountie killed while cycling off-duty
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Mounties say the cyclist, who has been identified as Const. Austin MacDougall, was pronounced dead at the scene.

An Alberta man has been charged in the death of a young man from Aldergrove who was cycling on a rural road in Alberta, Wednesday evening (July 5).

Mounties say the cyclist, who has been identified as RCMP Const. Austin MacDougall, was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Thursday evening, the RCMP said Justin Lyle Jensen, 35, of Yellowhead County was driving the vehicle involved in the collision that killed Const. MacDougall.

Jensen has been charged with impaired driving causing death and refusing to comply with the demands of a peace officer.

Jensen was arrested at the scene. He has been conditionally released on bail and is scheduled to appear in Edson Provincial Court July 18.

The Aldergrove family and friends of Const. MacDougall are grieving the loss of the young man.

The town of Edson issued a statement Thursday saying flags at all public facilities were to be lowered to half-mast to mark the loss.

“Const. MacDougall was very involved in the community and the town of Edson sends condolences to his family and to the RCMP detachment at this time,” the statement read.

Const. MacDougall had been stationed at Edson for about one year following his graduation from RCMP Academy in 2015.

Austin MacDougall grew up in Aldergrove and was very athletic, and was especially passionate about cycling from an early age. His parents, Sandy and Merilee are long-time residents of Aldergrove.

According to an obituary published in the Victoria Times Colonist, MacDougall graduated from D.W. Poppy Secondary in 2005 and joined the Escape Velocity Youth Development Cycling Program as a competitor and later role model and coach.

Victoria Police Department also lowered their flags to half-mast on Friday in honour of MacDougall, who was a crime watch volunteer for the department in 2011 and 2012 and a reserve constable from 2012 to 2015. MacDougall gave hundreds of hours over the years to Victoria police, said department spokesman Bowen Osoko.

“He was a loyal and kind hearted guy, who made friends easily and cared deeply for his family, partner Katie and his two beloved Jack Russells, Shiloh and Cricket,” the obit said. “He will be remembered for his compassion for others, his exuberance for life and unmatched sense of humour.”

A memorial will be held on Monday, July 17 at the Christian Life Assembly, 21277 56th Ave., starting at 2 p.m. The family has requested that to honour his love of animals and in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a local SPCA branch in his honour.