A photo of Tatjana posted by her partner Jason Gaudreault. She was reportedly wearing what she is pictured in on the right, blue jacket, grey sweatpants, and rain boots. Credit: FACEBOOK - Jason Gaudreault Photographer: Jennifer Stahn

Mounties box in truck thief in West Kelowna

KELOWNA – Theft of a work truck has left a young man facing charges after a police chase that ended in West Kelowna.

The chase began after a black Ford 350 was stolen from a work site on Lake Avenue in Kelowna, RCMP media officer Const. Lesley Smith said in a press release.

Police responded immediately when the owner of the truck reported a theft in progress around 3:20 p.m., Tuesday, June 12, with the truck seen driving east on Abbott Street.

The truck took off over the Bennett Bridge where West Kelowna RCMP made contact with the truck on Highway 97 but the man driving allegedly refused to stop.

Police boxed in the truck at Old Okanagan Highway and Dobbin Road but the driver fled on foot before being arrested without further incident a short distance away.

Jason Piro, born 1977, was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, police say.

— This story was amended Nov. 6, 2019 for clarification.

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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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