Car theft suspect narrowly misses Penticton RCMP officers in escape bid

PENTICTON – Penticton RCMP were successful in taking a man into custody after he attempted to ram a cruiser in a bid to escape arrest.

The incident began around 10 a.m. yesterday, Dec. 10, when a vehicle stolen from Kelowna was spotted in Penticton by a witness who knew the owner of the vehicle, according to an RCMP media release. The witness called 911 and reported seeing the vehicle on Braid Street.

Regular officers and members of the Targeted Enforcement Unit and General Investigative Sections converged on the 600 block of Braid Street and watched the vehicle.

Officers then attempted to block the vehicle, but the driver tried to ram his way out by driving into a fence, police say. Officers were forced to jump out of the way as the driver reversed and smashed another fence, again narrowly missing a police cruiser and an officer.

“Due to the extreme danger the driver was putting officers in, a police vehicle was used to push against the vehicle’s rear bumper, pinning it against a fence, preventing it from driving away," Const. James Grandy said in the release. "While the driver was trying to accelerate forward, officers ran toward it and were able to break a window and remove the driver. After a short struggle with officers, the man was successfully taken into custody." 

Grandy said the 39-year-old driver is known to frequent the North Okanagan and is now facing numerous charges of possessing stolen property, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and assaulting police.

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