‘It’s kind of surreal:’ Wakaw-area farmer reflects on Sanderson incident close to home

Richard Orenchuk has had his farm locked up tightly recently.

“Our doors aren’t always locked but they have been for the past (seven) days,” Orenchuk said.

The Orenchuk farm is less than half a mile north of where his neighbour’s white Chevy Avalanche was stolen Wednesday. That was the vehicle Myles Sanderson was driving when he was finally captured by RCMP officers south of Rosthern.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime (situation),” said Orenchuk. “It’s something you never want to experience.”

Sanderson was the prime suspect in the rampage on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon that killed 10 people and left 18 others injured. Sanderson’s brother, Damien, also was a suspect in the attack.

Damien’s body was found Monday on the James Smith Cree Nation while Myles died in police custody on Wednesday.

Orenchuk said nobody was home when he received a call from his RM informing him that Myles Sanderson was in the area.

Orenchuk’s wife was working, his daughter was in school, his son was in daycare and he was in the field combining.

After he hung up the phone, he raced home to check the yard. He said he called his wife, who was just picking up their son from a daycare in Wakaw.

After Orenchuk explained the situation to his wife, she said she just saw the white Chevy Avalanche race by the west portion of Wakaw Lake.

The truck was allegedly driving recklessly, kicking up dirt and dust on the road.

“When we got off the phone, she was strongly in favour that this was the truck,” said Orenchuk. “Then, I called 9-1-1.”

Sanderson was later captured by police on Highway 11 near Rosthern. Orenchuk said he was glad he called his wife when he did.

“Had we not talked at the time to tell her the description of the truck, she wouldn’t have known what the truck was when it would have been down the back roads besides north of Wakaw,” said Orenchuk.

All in all, Orenchuk is glad his neighbour and his family are safe.

“It’s kind of surreal, this happening here, living in such a small rural area that you are living a half a mile or a mile away from anybody else,” he said.

Orenchuk had not spoken with his neighbour since the incident, but he plans on a short checkup sometime soon to make sure she is all right.

The investigation into Myles Sanderson continues despite his death.