The man who was arrested after allegedly driving into an occupied tent at Kelowna’s Rail Trail encampment entered a guilty plea in court Feb. 12 for one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Shortly after midnight on Sept. 25, 2022, police officers responded to a call at the encampment for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness after a man, named Jeffery who was sleeping in his tent, was run over and then dragged by a white Dodge pickup truck with Alberta plates.
The accused, Tyler Grant Manchur, allegedly drove his truck through a fence and into Jeffery’s tent, reports his neighbour, T, who asked to remain anonymous in an interview with Capital News shortly after the incident.
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T said that Jeffery was trapped in his tent and was dragged for approximately 60 metres, until the tent got tangled in the wheels, halting the truck.
The RCMP have confirmed that Jeffery was severely injured in the incident and was taken to hospital where he remained for months.
Manchur was arrested shortly after the incident. According to the court services website, Manchur is now facing charges of impaired operation causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Insp. Beth McAndie, investigative service officer for the Kelowna RCMP, issued a statement following the incident stating that alcohol appears to have been a factor in the crash and that police conducted an investigation.
Manchur has entered a guilty plea only for the charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
READ MORE: Charges laid after man dragged through encampment by truck