A 29-year-old man is facing multiple charges following a long-distance flight from police resulting in an arrest near Williams Lake Sunday.
Tyrell Giroux appeared in Williams Lake Provincial Court on Monday, Oct. 26 and is facing charges of dangerous operation of a conveyance, flight from police, wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer and driving while prohibited.
The incident began near Kamloops after RCMP received reports of an erratic driver Sunday morning. After failing to stop for police, the suspect led RCMP on a pursuit through Clinton and 100 Mile House, before two spike belts were successfully deployed — one outside 150 Mile House and the second near White Road in Williams Lake — leading to the eventual arrest in city limits on Highway 97.
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RCMP, meanwhile, have launched an internal code of conduct investigation after a civilian video shared on social media caught the arrest on camera. The video appears to show an RCMP officer kick and punch the suspect during the arrest.
RCMP North District Commander Warren Brown said in a written statement Monday afternoon while the civilian video does capture part of the arrest, it does not provide the full scope of the details leading up to it.
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“[It] provides no context with respect to what precipitated the arrest,” Brown said in the statement. “What is captured by the civilian video was the culmination of a high-risk, multi-jurisdictional incident that put the lives of the public and police in several communities in jeopardy.”
Giroux, who remains in police custody, is scheduled to appear back in Williams Lake Provincial Court on Wednesday, Nov. 4 for a bail hearing.
Court records show Giroux has a previous recent history of flight from police.
In May of 2020, Giroux was convicted of possession of stolen property over $5,000, driving while prohibited, theft under $5,000 and flight from police, according to BC Court Services records.
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