Wanted man arrested following multi-jurisdictional incident (update)

THURSDAY UPDATE:

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C.  says that during the arrest the male was injured as a result of receiving a police dog bite that required surgery to repair.

The IIO was notified and have commenced an investigation to determining what role, if any, the officers’ actions may have played into the serious harm of the male.

WHAT started as a routine traffic stop on Highway 1 near Bradner Road in Abbotsford ended in West Vancouver on the Capilano River Bridge with a wanted man in custody.

Just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, an officer from the Fraser Valley Traffic Services conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle bearing Ontario licence plates for not having insurance on Highway 1 near Bradner Road in Abbotsford. Identification checks on the driver determined he was wanted on six warrants from another province.

When the officer attempted to take the man into a custody, the driver allegedly assaulted the officer and an altercation ensued, resulting in the driver taking the officer’s police vehicle keys and fleeing the scene in a small black car.

Officers seamlessly communicated the vehicle’s position from policing agency to policing agency as it travelled through several Lower Mainland communities. Officers followed the vehicle from a distance while seeking opportunities with partnering police to stop the vehicle safely.

When traffic slowed to a near stop on the Capilano River Bridge in West Vancouver, an officer from Vancouver Police and an officer from the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service stopped the vehicle. With assistance from a West Vancouver Police officer, the man was taken into custody.

“A call like this really demonstrates the ability of policing agencies across the Lower Mainland to work together to thwart criminals and ensure public safety,” said Inspector Todd Balaban of E Division Traffic Services. “Thankfully, our officer suffered only minor injuries, it also goes to show there really are no routine traffic stops, or calls.”