A man who threatened police with a blowtorch after fleeing from them on Tuesday morning is in custody awaiting a bail hearing.
Salmon Arm RCMP say the incident began at approximately 9:30 a.m., when the driver of a vehicle registered in Alberta fled from B.C. Highway Patrol.
Police did not say if BCHP made a traffic stop, or an attempted traffic stop. However, RCMP next said that the vehicle was spotted along the Trans-Canada Highway in Salmon Arm and was being dangerously driven after seeing a police vehicle.
From there, it continued eastbound.
“The vehicle evaded (a) spike belt in Canoe and continued to Sicamous, where it proceeded to turn off the highway,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West.
“The vehicle was later located and struck a police car and fled the area on the Trans-Canada (Highway) eastbound.”
Police say a spike belt near the Perry River Bridge, west of Revelstoke, flattened the vehicle’s four tires.
“The suspect driver then threatened officers with a blow torch,” said West.
“The driver was taken into custody in a short time frame without injury to the suspect or officers.”
Police noted during that time, traffic along the Trans-Canada was stopped in both directions to ensure public safety.
West said the 48-year-old driver is suspended from driving Alberta and “will be facing a number of driving charges in B.C., stemming from his driving and confrontation with police as a result of this incident.”