Penticton RCMP arrest elderly man after slow speed chase on highway

RCMP said an elderly man was arrested Thursday evening after he failed to stop for police on Highway 97.

Numerous RCMP pursued the white truck at 15 km/h until he could be boxed in.

Penticton RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth said the original report came in of a truck with a flat tire traveling down the highway from Summerland towards Penticton.

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Witnesses told Global News the man drove over two spike belts before being stopped.

Video of the arrest show RCMP taking the elderly man out of the truck onto the pavement, out of sight of the camera.

Wrigglesworth said they suspected a medical condition was to blame for the man’s behaviour but paramedics found nothing obvious upon initial examination.

The unidentified man was taken to Penticton Regional Hospital for further testing, he said.

If doctors can’t find a medical reason for his behaviour, Wrigglesworth said the driver will face criminal charges and charges under the Motor Vehicle Act.