Gord Molendyk
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
May 13, 2013 - 12:10 PM
As a Cherryville mother and her baby attempted to flee a frightening scenario, her boyfriend and the child's father allegedly confronted them with a gun.
RCMP say the 25-year-old mother had called a friend to come pick her and the two month old baby up after her 23-year-old boyfriend became drunk and started behaving erratically Saturday evening.
Just before 8 p.m. the woman's friend was waiting by the house on Highway 6 with her own young child.
The mother exited the house and the friend began helping her secure the baby in the car.
Meanwhile, the boyfriend had followed them outside with a gun which he pointed at the friend who, at that moment, was holding his child.
He took aim at one of the car tires and shot it out. He then said he wished to harm himself.
The two women didn't wait around to find out what he might do next. They drove off with a flat tire and the two children in the back.
RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says they got away safely and without injury.
He says the suspect fled in a Green Jeep Cherokee and was spotted by Vernon RCMP on Highway 6, east of Lumby later that night.
"Our officers pursued the suspect reaching speeds of 150 (km/hour)," Molendyk says. "At times the suspect almost struck pursuing members' vehicles."
The pursuit was called off when police lost sight of the suspect. Some time later, the vehicle was observed driving into a remote rural area on an ATV track from Richland’s Road, a dirt road in the Cherryville area.
Molendyk says containment was established and the (South East District Emergency Response Team) SED ERT and the police helicopter were called in to assist with locating and arresting the man.
The suspect was arrested at about 7:45 a.m. the next day without incident.
He is expected to make a first court appearance Monday on charges of dangerous use of a firearm, mischief to endanger life, cause pursuit, point firearm, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm.
To contact the reporter for this story, contact Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call (250)309-5230.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013