Kelowna RCMP say emergency crews and the motoring public were put at risk Friday afternoon, when the driver of a pickup truck chose to flee from police officers conducting traffic control at an unrelated scene of a motor vehicle collision along Highway 33 near Joe Rich.
On Jan. 12 at 2:18 p.m., RCMP officers were conducting traffic control around a collision on Highway 33 east of Kelowna when an officer was informed by a motorist that a Dodge Ram pickup truck, in the lineup, had been seen driving erratically.
The officer directed the driver of the Dodge Ram pickup truck to the side of the road and when he approached the driver’s side window, the truck’s driver suddenly accelerated.
A second officer at the scene, attempted to flag the driver to stop, but the driver ignored that order, say police and he sped away. A third officer was nearly struck when he attempted to stop the pickup truck on Highway 33 near Goudie Road.
“Due to the risk the suspect posed to the public, Kelowna Air Services were engaged and the RCMP helicopter, Air 4, took to the skies to assist,” said RCMP Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.
The burgundy Dodge Ram pickup truck was later discovered abandoned in a ditch along Como Road near Fisher Road on the edge of East Kelowna.
“The vehicle has since been seized by police and remains part of our ongoing investigation,” said O’Donaghey.
Witnesses are asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.
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