A Maple Ridge man is charged with trying to kill or maim a law enforcement animal after an altercation over an allegedly stolen truck in the Chilliwack River Valley earlier this month.
Gary Wayne Christie, 51, faces multiple charges after he was allegedly spotted in a stolen vehicle from Langley on Jan. 12 in the Vedder Crossing area of Chilliwack.
It was around 7:15 p.m. that day when the Chilliwack RCMP received a call reporting a stolen truck and the unusual actions of an individual outside a business in the block of Vedder Road between Keith Wilson and Thomas roads.
The truck was identified as one reported stolen to Langley RCMP. It was quickly spotted by police and an officer – supported by the Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Section (IPDS) – was led to an address in the 51000-block of Chilliwack Lake Road.
As Mounties approached, officers report that the operator reversed the truck crashing into a police vehicle and narrowly missing the officers and a police service dog before speeding away.
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Within an hour, the police again located the vehicle abandoned in nearby campground the police service dog tracked the suspect to a trailer in the 50000-block of O’Byrne Road in the Slesse Park area of the Chilliwack River Valley, about 12 kilometres east of the Vedder Bridge.
A 37-year-old man from Chilliwack was arrested by police outside of the trailer while Christie was taken into custody during the execution of a search warrant and a confrontation with police.
Christie is charged with possession of stolen property, dangerous operation of a conveyance, assault with intent to resist arrest, assault peace officer with a weapon, mischief under $5,000, and wilfully kill, maim, law enforcement animal.
Christie remains in custody and is next due in Chilliwack court for a video appearance from Surrey Pre-trial on Feb. 3.
“An alert citizen reporting unusual activity is key to the arrest of a dangerous individual and the recovery of stolen property,” Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mike Rail said in a press release. “Our officers relied on training and skill to safely conclude a risky situation.”
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