Castlegar RCMP say a suspect is in custody after two incidents this week in and around Castlegar.
RCMP say they first had contact with the suspect on November 6 when he fled an attempted traffic stop for a burnt out traffic light at 1:30AM on Robson Access Road. The suspect fled at a high rate of speed at which time the officer did not initiate a pursuit.
The officer observed the vehicle enter an eventual dead end road and observed it once again, when it exited at a high rate and speeding past the officer. A second marked police unit attended the area to assist and spotted the vehicle on the Robson Bridge. The suspect driver then pulled a U-turn and headed back towards the police vehicle and struck it and sped away.
The patrolling officers spotted the truck a third time, as it sped down another dead end and attempted to set up a spike belt however the suspect truck came back at a high rate of speed before the officers could deploy the spike belt. The truck accelerated past the unoccupied police vehicles and failed to negotiate a sharp corner at the intersection of Lakeview Street and Arrow Lakes Drive, striking a no post cement barrier, becoming lodged on top of it. The officers ran to the truck and took the male into custody.
Officers located just over $10,000 cash and a small amount of suspected methamphetamine and a small amount of cannabis in the truck. The male was uninjured was processed that night and eventually released.
Castlegar RCMP Sergeant Darren Oelke says there were a number of different factors regarding why he was released. He had no prior criminal record and was not known to police.
RCMP say another incident began on the morning of November 7. It’s alledged that the same male assaulted and attempted to rob a female while she was giving him a ride. The female managed to get away, but had her vehicle stolen by the male. Witnesses then observed her stolen vehicle drive at a very high rate of speed through a large construction zone on Columbia Avenue, almost running over a flagger and several workers. The suspect fled Castlegar westbound on Hwy 3 until he got a flat tire.
It was reported that he then tried to force an unsuspecting motorist in a pick-up truck off the road. The pick-up eventually stopped avoiding a collision however the male assaulted the driver of the pick-up and tried to steal his truck. A passing semi-truck driver observed the incident and stopped to render assistance and the man was subdued. The male negotiated his release and then attempted to steal the semi-truck. Eventually the semi-truck driver was able to gain control of the male and held him for police.
Investigators confirmed that it was one and the same individual that had been released from custody.
The male, identified as Sean Patrick BYRNE from Lake Country, is now facing a total of 13 charges including robbery, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, impaired driving, assault, and assault with a weapon, theft, possession of stolen property, and drug charges, stated Cpl Dan Moskaluk. Byrne appeared in Rossland court and has been held in custody until December 6, 2018.