Charges pending against crash prone driver in Vernon

VERNON – It seems a 38-year-old Kelowna man arrested in connection with an erratic driving case didn’t have much of an explanation for police.

“I believe at the time that he was pulled over he told police he didn’t understand why he was being stopped,” says Vernon RCMP spokesperson Cst. Jocelyn Noseworthy.

RCMP released more information Tuesday about the incident last Wednesday that ended in an arrest in a busy Vernon intersection.

“Charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance have been forwarded to Crown for consideration,” says Noseworthy.

After being tipped off by Lake Country RCMP around 9:45 a.m. that an erratic driver in a pickup truck was headed north on Highway 97, Vernon RCMP officers headed south.

“Police had received numerous reports of the vehicle driving erratically hitting the median and other vehicles,” says Noseworthy. “If you saw it, you saw how damaged it was. It kind of stuck out.”

She says there was no pursuit but police did get the driver to stop in a high-traffic area.

“We kind of lucked out with where we found him,” Says Noseworthy. “They turned on their lights and sirens and he stopped as you are required to.”

The driver has since been released from custody.

RCMP know at least two vehicles were hit in the Vernon area.

However, they are still determining if other vehicles were struck.

No one was injured and no police vehicles were damaged.