In a case of mistaken identity — Merritt man gets away from masked men
By Contributor
A Merritt man leaving his friend’s residence on Voght street around 8:50 p.m. Monday (February 3) was overtaken and threatened at gunpoint by masked men in a Lincoln navigator.
The man managed to put his car in reverse and get away before returning home and calling police.
At 9:05 p.m. Merritt RCMP received a call from the male victim who advised that he had been leaving his friend’s residence on Voght street and had noticed a vehicle running and parked on the road nearby.
Before going too far down the road a Black Lincoln navigator pulled up alongside the man’s vehicle and he obeserved a male in the rear passenger seat wearing a balaclava and pointing a shotgun at him.
The man hollered some threats and obscenities at the victim who then braked and put his car in reverse and managed to drive home. The victim stated that the suspect vehicle did not appear to be following him after he turned.
The victim provided a very detailed description of the suspect vehicle which fit a vehicle known to members.
Merritt RCMP located the suspect vehicle at 9:20 p.m. near Nicola and Houston St and were able to stop the vehicle and arrest its three occupants without incident.
The three male occupants were arrested and appeared before a judge on Tuesday (February 4) for assault with a weapon.
Edward Soviak, 24, of Coquitlam BC, 24-year-old Mark Kraljevic of Surrey and Merritt and 27-year-old Tyler Grieve of Coquitlam and Merritt have been charged with the offence and have all been released on recognizance to appear in court in Merritt on March 18.
It appears that the three suspects mistook the victim for another Merritt resident known to police.
