A road rage report turned into a wild chase down an embankment, under a stationary train and into a river, Kamloops, B.C., Mounties said Tuesday.
A dark-coloured Mercedes had been reported to police as driving dangerously and on March 1, at around 10 p.m., Kamloops RCMP spotted it.
“When a police officer initiated a traffic stop, a man exited the car and began yelling threatening comments, before running away,” Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said in a press release. She didn’t highlight what the comments were.
“The suspect then returned to his car and fled in it, crashing into a cement wall and a police vehicle in the process.”
RCMP said the officer was uninjured and their vehicle received minimal damage. Remarkably, the Mercedes was found shortly thereafter, still moving.
“Due to the public risk presented by the suspect’s dangerous driving, erratic comments, and behaviour, a spike belt was deployed at the bottom of Summit Drive to try and stop the vehicle,” Evelyn said.
“The suspect managed to avoid the belt, which was then struck by two civilian vehicles, causing damage to their tires.”
The suspect fled on foot again shortly after, toward Mission Flats Road. With the assistance of a police dog, he was taken into custody after he ran into, then back out of, the river.
The suspect was transported to hospital, received a violation ticket under the Motor Vehicle Act and was released by police with a court date related to dangerous driving and other offences.
Anyone who witnessed or has dash camera or other video related to this incident is asked to contact the Kamloops RCMP Detachment and reference file 2024-6231.