Keremeos RCMP arrest pair who rammed into occupied police vehicle in an attempt to flee arrest

Photo: File photo

A failed attempt to flee from Keremeos police resulted in a car ramming into an RCMP vehicle on Tuesday.

According to police, an officer with the local RCMP Detachment was on routine patrol when he observed a suspicious vehicle known to police driving shortly before 7 p.m.

After the officer activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle, police said the suspect fled at a high rate of speed.

The officer stopped their car and did not pursue the suspect.

Police said that the officer observed the same vehicle driving down 3rd Avenue, a dead-end road a short while later.

In an attempt to stop the vehicle again, the officer initiated his emergency lights and sirens, but the suspect U-turned and drove back toward the officer’s vehicle, colliding with it.

The suspect continued to try to escape from the scene and reversed onto a homeowner’s lawn, ultimately getting stuck on a tree stump.

Police said the officer was able to safely arrest Blake Dunstall, 39-years-old, along with his 35-year-old female passenger, both from Princeton.

“This highlights the dangerous job our officers do every day to keep our communities safe,” Cpl. Chad Parsons, Keremeos Detachment Commander said in a press release. “The member involved in this occurrence acted according to his training, which took a career criminal safely into custody.”

Police said charges of assaulting a police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, resisting arrest, failing to comply with a probation order, driving while suspended, and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose have all been approved by the BC Prosecution Service.