Grand Forks RCMP arrested a suspected border jumper following a bizarre “float chase” down the Kettle River late last week.

Police chased the Washington State man for nearly two and a half hours down the Kettle River on Friday, July 24, after the man illegally entered Canada at the closed Port Cascade border crossing.

Around 1 a.m., Stevens County Sheriff’s office contacted Grand Forks RCMP to advise of a stolen vehicle entering Canada illegally after American officials tried to stop it in Kettle Falls, Washington.

A spike belt was deployed by the U.S. officials but the suspect continued driving and allegedly rammed the barriers at the border before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot into Canada.

RCMP from Grand Forks patrolled the area, eventually locating the suspect’s vehicle in the 7200 block of Highway 3 just outside the downtown core.

The suspect was not with the vehicle.

Later in the day the suspect returned to the vehicle where police attempted to arrest him. He resisted and jumped into the nearby Kettle River where he floated downstream for more than two hours trying to evade capture.

Grand Forks and Midway RCMP tracked the suspect along both sides of the river bank to a point where the river narrowed. Some local citizens who were nearby were able to wade into the river along with police to escort the suspect back to shore.

Police turned the suspect over to Canada Border Service Agency personnel on July 25 and continue to work with them on possible charges under the immigration and refugee protection Act, as well as the Criminal Code.

RCMP are also working with their American counterparts on their criminal investigation, police spokesperson Sgt. Darryl Peppler said in a press release issued today, July 27.

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