A man who allegedly rammed a cop car in his attempt to flee arrest in Vernon, B.C., Wednesday seemingly stymied his own getaway.
In a video submitted to Global Okanagan, a man can be seen being arrested by police, who had their guns drawn, on the side of Highway 97.
According to RCMP, it was around 5:50 p.m. when officers spotted a white Volkswagen Tiguan that had allegedly been involved in several incidents earlier in the day, including a hit-and-run collision near Tronson Road where the vehicle incurred a bit of damage.
“As additional officers began to mobilize to the area, a front-line officer found the vehicle near the intersection of 25th Ave and 32nd Street,” RCMP said.
“The officer activated their emergency lights and pulled in front of the suspect vehicle that was stopped in traffic.”
But the driver drove ahead, bashed the front corner of the police vehicle incurring more damage, then fled south on Highway 97.
At some point in the melee, RCMP saw one of the occupants of the vehicle throw a bag out of the vehicle suspected to be drugs, though it’s yet to be confirmed.
The two crashes seemingly stymied the vehicle’s ability to drive at the rate of speed that would allow the driver to evade police.
RCMP said officers in the area quickly tracked down and contained the damaged vehicle on Highway 97 near the Army Cadet Camp. All three occupants were arrested and taken into custody without incident.
This was a dynamic situation that unfolded very quickly,
Const. Chris Terleski said.
Our front-line officers did a very good job ensuring it did not escalate preventing any further risk to the public.
Two of the three occupants, all from the Lower Mainland, were later released from custody.
The driver, a 28-year-old Surrey man, remains in police custody and is expected to appear in court later Thursday.