A police pursuit on Highway 97 into Williams Lake Sunday, and the arrest that followed, stunned many who witnessed the events.
“I was just in shock with what I was seeing,” said Linda Briggs, who was heading home to Rose Lake after a morning of shopping in the lakecity when she passed a truck fleeing police and heading toward Williams Lake.
Just prior, Briggs said she noticed RCMP placing a spike belt on Highway 97 on a corner near the Welcome to Williams Lake sign.
“He was not stopping, that’s for sure. He had no tires on the driver’s side, front or back, and there were sparks flying everywhere. I’m just glad we didn’t get caught in the middle of it.”
Briggs said debris was scattered two kilometres along Highway 97 between 150 Mile House and Williams Lake from the truck tires.
“It made me uncomfortable. It’s just not a nice thing to see, someone going to those extremes.”
Briggs was unaware of how the pursuit ended as she carried on toward home; however, video posted on social media a short time later showed police vehicles surrounding a white truck on Highway 97 in front of the Tourism Discovery Centre and a suspect briefly fleeing on foot toward a residential area before stopping for police.
As the suspect made a movement to get down, the video shows a Mountie starting to secure the suspect and another officer arriving who appears to kick and then punch the suspect.
A witness filming the incident is heard yelling for officers to stop.
Williams Lake RCMP detachment commander, Officer in Charge, Insp. Jeff Pelley said he is aware of the arrest and the incident.
“It is being fully examined,” Pelley said Sunday afternoon.
Pelley did not say what led to the arrest, but did note he would have more information Monday.
More to come.
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