North Okanagan police chase ends in a standoff in a creek

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP arrested a man after he got into a standoff with police after jumping into a creek to try to escape.

Vernon’s Indigenous Policing officer was investigating a report about a suspicious person on Westside Road around 11:30 a.m. on May 6, according to a press release from police.

The officer came across a temporary camp in a wooded area near Bonneau Road on the Okanagan Indian Band reserve. When looking around the camp the officer spotted two firearms and then secured them.

While the officer was assessing the camp a male suspect came back and fled immediately after spotting police.

The following foot chase was brief since the man jumped into a nearby creek and perched himself onto a log in the middle of fast moving water to get away.

The situation was risky so the RCMP Southeast District Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services and a crisis negotiator came to the scene.

The man refused to come to shore initially, but police contained the area and convinced him to surrender.

The 35-year-old man is in custody and set to appear in court.