RCMP officers arrested a suspect in West Kelowna on Monday morning after a collision and armed carjacking in Kelowna.
Good Samaritans trying to help after the original crash reported they were shot at and pepper-sprayed.
Police first became aware of a problem around 7:45 a.m. after someone reported a heavily damaged Ford F150 pickup truck driving erratically near Glenmore Road and Union Road in Kelowna.
RCMP said police then got a report that there had been a motor vehicle incident on Glenmore Road near Snowsell Street, involving the Ford F150 and two other vehicles.
The driver of one of the other vehicles suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the collision, police said.
The Ford F150 was later determined to be stolen.
“The driver…of the stolen Ford F150 tried to take another vehicle by force, producing a firearm at a motorist who had stopped to assist in the collision,” said Inspector Adam MacIntosh of the Kelowna RCMP.
“A struggle ensued with this Good Samaritan who was supported by another male who also stopped to assist. A fight ensued and a fire arm was discharged by the suspect. The suspect then released bear spray on the two males.”
The suspect is then alleged to have produced a second firearm and stolen another truck by force, police said.
The stolen truck took off from the scene southbound and police said they were able to locate it within 15 minutes, being driven in a manner that caused concern for public safety.
Officers did not give chase.
Police said they were able to track the stolen truck without the knowledge of the driver.
Roughly three hours after the first calls to police, around 10:50 a.m., the RCMP said its emergency response team stopped the stolen vehicle and the suspect driver on Grizzly Road in West Kelowna.
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RCMP allege the driver took off on foot and tried to carjack another vehicle on Highway 97 before he was arrested.
Police said they took a 33-year-old man into custody, in an arrest that involved deploying “soft, less lethal” rounds “similar to a bean bag round,” at the suspect.
RCMP said police believe the man arrested was hit at least once but did not sustain significant injuries.
The man arrested was taken to hospital and did have minor injuries, potentially as a result of the collision, police said.
Police also seized other firearms at the arrest scene.
Asked why more warning wasn’t given to the public about the unfolding situation, MacIntosh said police were trying to balance risks to public safety.
“We don’t want the person we are covertly following to know that we are doing that. Secondly, in our observations when he did not observe the police he drove in a normal manner, so we had to balance our decision with respect to mitigating public safety,” MacIntosh said.
“We believe this individual likely would have done just about anything to get away.”
RCMP are asking anyone with dashcam video of the original collision scene or the arrest to reach out to the police.
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