A man was arrested and charged with multiple offences after fleeing from police.
Salmon Arm RCMP received a report and located a silver Dodge Dakota pickup truck swerving with a couch hanging out of the truck bed on the Trans-Canada Highway near 4th Street NE. The vehicle was initially reported to Chase RCMP for speeding and passing over double solid lines.
Police later re-acquired the truck downtown and observed it speeding, disobeying stop signs and driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Police said the truck lost the couch and that the canopy also came off as it navigated a turn. Officers disengaged for public safety.
Later that evening, police received another report of the same vehicle travelling southbound on Highway 97B, last seen on Ranchero Drive E.
“Salmon Arm RCMP acquired the vehicle on Sonora Road and followed it to Black Road where it slammed on the brakes causing a collision between the police vehicle and the truck,” Const. Andrew Hodges, spokesperson for Salmon Arm RCMP, said. “The truck then began dragging the police vehicle with it.”
A second police vehicle arrived on scene and was also struck by the truck, which then broke free and continued southbound on Highway 97B. Police said the truck came to a stop on Highway 97A near Riverside Road, where the driver was arrested for multiple offences.
The man, the sole occupant of the vehicle, failed a roadside breath test. Police also discovered the driver was prohibited from driving.
The man was charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, dangerous operation of a conveyance, flight from a peace officer, mischief over $5,000, obstruction of a peace officer and operating a conveyance while impaired.
