Region-wide crime spree, including carjacking and ramming cop car, lands 26-yr-old man in cells
By Castlegar Source
A local woman was carjacked and police led on a merry chase throughout the region yesterday, after stealing a variety of vehicles, ramming a squad car and driving the aforementioned woman across the road, according to Castlegar top cop Sgt. Laurel Mathew.
“Central Kootenay RCMP members, along with Castlegar RCMP, Traffic Services, Crime Reduction unit, and General Investigations unit are investigating a series of incidents that occurred on May 1, starting in Nakusp and ending in Castlegar with the arrest of a 26-year-old male,” said in a press release today.
“At approximately 8 a.m, a Slocan Lake RCMP officer was responding to a complaint of an erratic driver. The vehicle, a Honda Civic, was located, and when the officer stepped out of his police car to speak to the driver, the driver put the car in reverse, and rammed the police car several times before fleeing. ( it was later learned that this was a stolen car).
“A short time later, near Enterprise Creek, the Honda Civic rear ended a Dodge Dakota being driven by a local woman. The woman pulled over to speak to the male who had collided with her, and the male then stole her truck, leaving her on the side of the road.
“The Dodge truck was abandoned in Slocan City, and a school district dump truck was stolen. A member of the West Kootenay Traffic Services located the moving dump truck, and attempted to pull it over. Another traffic member, coming in the opposite direction, was forced off the road by the oncoming dump truck.
“The dump truck was located abandoned on a private property in Krestova. A short time later, a brown GMC pick up was stolen in Krestova and was heading towards Castlegar on Pass Creek road. A Castlegar RCMP officer was able to attend the area and deploy a spike belt, causing the GMC to come to a stop. After a brief foot chase, the suspect male driver was taken into custody.”
Mathew said no officers were wounded during these events, however the driver of the Dodge pick-up sustained minor injuries.
The male remains in custody and is facing numerous charges, including:
– Robbery
-Theft of motor vehicle
– Possession of stolen property
– Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
– Flight from Police
– Failing to stop at scene of accident
He also has outstanding charges out of the Okanagan area for:
-Robbery
-Possession of stolen property
-Theft of a motor vehicle
“The investigation is ongoing and police will be recommending further charges,” she concluded.
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