Bridge arrest suspects identified, held in jail over the weekend

KELOWNA – The two men who were arrested on the William R. Bennett Bridge in a dramatic police takedown yesterday will be held in jail over the weekend while other charges are considered and search warrants are sought.

Michael Dennison, 25, and Ryan Regan, 33, appeared in Kelowna court today, Jan. 13 for the first time, one day after a high speed police chase from Penticton to Kelowna that ended when Dennison clipped at least one police car.

RCMP have said little about the incident, but Crown lawyer Kurt Froelich says the arrests were the result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation with detachments from Penticton to Kelowna.

Both were arrested shortly before 11 a.m. and kept in custody overnight.

Judge Robin Smith granted Froelich’s request for them to be kept in custody while search warrants are executed.

Regan is charged with dangerous driving, evading police, two counts of hit and run, mischief to a police vehicle and assault with a weapon. He appeared in court with a noticeable limp.

Dennison is charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving while prohibited and breach of probation. All of Regan’s charges are alleged to have occurred in Penticton.

There is still no indication why police pursued them in the first place. 

They will spend the weekend in jail at the Kelowna RCMP detachment ahead of their next court date Monday, Jan. 16.

Neither man are strangers to the inside of a courtroom. Dennison spent more than three months in jail starting in September 2016 for theft of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a vehicle and has two convictions for possession of stolen property over $5,000.

Regan’s record includes numerous charges of possession of stolen property over $5,000, trafficking, break and enter and flight from police.

– This story was updated at 5 p.m. Jan. 13 to include both men's criminal records.

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