2 arrested after stolen vehicle crashes into Oceanside RCMP vehicle
Two people were arrested Tuesday after a stolen vehicle crashed into a marked police car in Qualicum Beach, B.C.
The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. when police received a reported of a suspicious vehicle parked near Higson Crescent and Seacroft Road.
Oceanside RCMP were told that the vehicle had been parked there for about two hours with a man and woman sleeping inside.
When Mounties arrived and went to speak with the occupants of the car, the driver "suddenly started the vehicle and drove away at high speed," according to RCMP.
The car narrowly missed an officer before it struck the Mountie's police cruiser. The vehicle was then seen travelling northbound on Highway 19A.
A broader search was launched for the vehicle, which involved police dogs, a police helicopter, and officers from two other departments.
PROLONGED SEARCH
The car was spotted several times by officers and members of the public in different communities throughout the day, including Courtenay, Bowser, Union Bay and Horne Lake.
It was eventually tracked down to Qualicum Bay around 12:45 p.m.
While no one was inside of the vehicle, which was found near the 3200-block of Island Highway West, police say a 30-year-old woman was arrested nearby.
A 41-year-old man from Parksville, Mark Mann, was also arrested after being tracked by a police dog shortly after, Mounties say.
"The vehicle was determined to be have been stolen from Regina, Saskatchewan on October 1," said Sgt. Shane Worth of the Oceanside RCMP on Tuesday,
"Mark Mann was found to have outstanding warrants for of fraud and prohibited driving," he added.
Mann is now facing additional charges of hit and run, dangerous driving, obstruction, possession of stolen property and prohibited driving related to Tuesday's incident.
The female passenger has since been released from custody until her next court date.
Police say no one was injured in the incident and the damage to the police cruiser is "minimal."
"The Oceanside RCMP thanks members of the public for reporting suspicious occurrences in their neighbourhoods and as demonstrated, today’s call to police resulted in the arrest of a wanted person and the recovery of a stolen vehicle," said Worth on Tuesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Ontario man loses $1,500 applying for Nexus cards on social media
The trusted traveller program between Canada and the United States is extremely popular and almost two million Canadians have a Nexus card.
NEW Facial reconstruction reveals what a 40-something Neanderthal woman may have looked like
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
Campus protests: Israeli academics say their universities are 'best chance' for peace
One of the demands of pro-Palestinian activists who have set up protest encampments on university campuses in Canada and the United States is a severing of ties with Israeli universities.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
Weight-loss drug Wegovy available in Canada starting May 6
The makers of Ozempic say their weight-loss drug Wegovy will be available to patients in Canada starting Monday.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
NEW Companies letting customers opt out of Mother's Day ads
In an effort to balance the profitability of Mother's Day with the pain it causes some people, some brands are offering customers the choice to opt out of Mother's Day email advertising.