Castlegar RCMP have issued a press release in regard to a February 16 incident.
“At approximately 5:30 a.m on February 16th, Castlegar RCMP were called to the West Kootenay Airport in response to a suspicious male complaint. A witness stated that there was a male at that location carrying a pipe and a blanket and that he had attacked the witness’s vehicle with what appeared to be pliers.
Before police arrived, another man drove into the parking lot and opened his passenger side window to speak to the male. The male lunged into the passenger side of the truck and stabbed the driver in the face with metal wire snips, causing serious injury. The victim exited his vehicle and the suspect male got into the driver’s seat. The original complainant saw that the male appeared to be trying to steal the victim’s truck, so he rammed the front of the truck with his own vehicle in an attempt to stop the suspect male from fleeing. The vehicle began rolling down the hill, and struck the police car as the officer arrived, causing front end damage.
The suspect male fled the truck, but was subsequently apprehended and taken into police custody.
Neither the officer or the two witnesses suffered injuries in this incident. The 63 year-old man who was stabbed was transported to Kelowna hospital with serious facial injuries.
Further investigation revealed that 10 vehicles parked at the airport parking lot had been broken into and/or damaged.
The male, 28, is facing charges of: Aggravated Assault, 11 counts of Mischief ( to vehicles), Resist Arrest, and Theft of Motor Vehicle.
He will be appearing in Nelson court today, Feb. 17th.
