A woman with multiple outstanding warrants was arrested New Year’s Day in Whitehorse after a brief police chase, the RCMP said today.

At approximately 4:30 a.m. Jan. 1, RCMP Traffic Services were conducting roving sobriety checks in Whitehorse when a moving vehicle was observed without its lights on.

“The vehicle initially did not stop for police and was located shortly after behind a snow bank in the Laberge industrial area,” police said.

“While speaking with police, the male driver ran from the investigators, attempting to flee the area on foot.

“His spirited efforts were slowed by the recent heavy snowfall, which found him and police in waist-deep snow.”

The passenger, identified as Kiara Hagen, had outstanding warrants for arrest from the RCMP in Dawson City, Haines Junction and Whitehorse.

Police accuse Hagen of possessing 60 grams of suspected cocaine “and other items indicative of drug trafficking.”

As a result of an investigation, she has been charged with:

• one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;

• one count, obstruction, under the Criminal Code; and

• one count, failing to comply with conditions of a release order, under the Criminal Code.

The 37-year old male driver is also facing charges from this incident, and will be publicly identified later, police said.

“Yukon RCMP is committed to creating safer roads, and this includes the apprehension of travelling criminals,” police added.

“These seizures take the equivalent of approximately 120 individual doses, off Yukon streets, which is important to overall community safety.”