RCMP officer suffers non-life threatening injuries during vehicle search
By Contributor
A police officer suffered non-life threatening injuries when he was involved in a crash during an active search for a vehicle theft suspect on (Tuesday) August 5.
At approximately 3:50 p.m, the Kelowna RCMP responded to a theft of a vehicle that had just been stolen from a residence on the 800 block of Pettigrew Street.
The Dodge pickup apparently impacted a house along the street before being abandoned at Bay Avenue. Police found the vehicle with ignition damage and a “club” still locked to the steering wheel. A second Dodge pickup parked on Bay Avenue was also reported to have ignition damage and the suspect description matched.
Police established a perimeter and began patrolling the area in search of the male suspect.
Plainclothes officers located a man matching the suspect description and investigators quickly converged on the area. Unfortunately, one officer was involved in a motor vehicle crash before he could get there.
The RCMP member was travelling northbound on Ethel Street in a fully marked police SUV and is believed to have failed to stop for a stop sign when a westbound Ford F250 impacted the passenger’s side at Crowley Avenue.
The officer suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital. The other driver appeared unhurt but was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The man originally thought to be the suspect was determined to be unrelated as police soon received a report of the suspect attempting to steal a fork lift at Sun Rype, located at 1165 Ethel Street.
Police located the suspect on foot a short distance away. The 35-year-old Kelowna man remains in custody and faces a number of potential Theft-related charges.
Police continue to investigate the possibility that a number of other incidents in the area are related.
