Kamloops impaired driver suspect arrested in Central Okanagan

WEST KELOWNA —  A Kamloops woman faces potential charges, including criminal impaired operation of a motor vehicle, after reckless driving in the Central Okanagan.

An officer had stopped a vehicle along Highway 97 south of Peachland when a red Ford F350 allegedly sped past. This happened just before 8:30 a.m. this morning, April 6, a media release says.

Back up came to help locate and stop the suspect vehicle before it entered into West Kelowna. Shortly after police got a report of an attempted carjacking near Renfrew Road in Peachland. Police suspected this was related to the Ford pickup truck they were already searching for.

The suspect apparently switched course and unmarked police vehicles found the driver heading southbound toward Summerland. While travelling below the speed limit, the suspect flagged one of the unmarked police vehicles to pass her, the release says.

"Additional marked and unmarked patrol units moved in and surrounded the suspect vehicle, when police believed it was safe to do so,” Jesse O’Donaghey says in the release. “Our officers were forced to box the suspect vehicle in, after the driver attempted to reverse and flee.”

Once the vehicle was immobilized the driver climbed out of her passenger side window in an effort to avoid being captured. She was taken into police custody a short distance away.

“Thankfully no one was injured during the unfolding of each of the events,” Cpl. O’Donaghey adds.

Investigators who recovered drug paraphernalia from inside the woman’s vehicle continue their investigation. A Drug Recognition Expert was called to conduct a drug influence evaluation on the woman.

She now faces potential charges and is expected to appear in court at a later date.

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