Suspect rams into police vehicles and flees

Two RCMP vehicles were damaged after officers tried to stop a suspected stolen vehicle in Lake Country Sunday night (Oct. 18).

A speeding green Pontiac car, with licence plates that came back as as stolen from the Vernon area, would not stop for police on Highway 97 and turned onto Pollard Road around 7 p.m.

“Two marked police vehicles attempted to block the suspect vehicle from leaving the dead end roadway, but the Pontiac rammed both RCMP vehicles and fled the scene. Due to the dangerous nature of the suspects driving, the vehicle was not further pursued by police,” Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, media relations officer for Kelowna RCMP, said.

A short time later, the suspect vehicle was located abandoned in a field on Pollard Road. RCMP Police Dog Services attempted to track the driver but the suspect was not found.

“Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident,” Sgt. Jon Collins, detachment commander of the Lake Country RCMP, said. “This driver recklessly put our officers, the public, and themselves in danger and we are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.”

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Lake Country RCMP at 250-250-766-2288. Remain completely anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net.