RCMP officers were led on a merry chase on the Trans-Canada Highway between Salmon Arm and Revelstoke that ended with the successful deployment of a spike belt.

An Alberta-registered vehicle fled from highway patrol officers at around 9:30 a.m. today, Oct. 11, according to an RCMP media release.

The suspect vehicle was spotted by police on Highway 1 in Salmon Arm and the driver began driving dangerously after seeing the police cruiser.

The driver evaded a spike belt in Canoe and turned off the highway in Sicamous, RCMP said.

Officers deployed a second spike belt, this time west of the Perry River bridge in Revelstoke, and all four tires were blown out, stopping the vehicle.

The driver then threatened officer with a blow torch. He was taken into custody “in a short time frame without injury to the suspect or officers,” RCMP said in the release.

Police say the 48-year-old driver is suspended from driving in Alberta and will be facing a number of charges in connection to today’s chase and confrontation with officers.

He remains in custody waiting for a bail hearing.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander or call 250-309-5343 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.