Officers removed their gun belts and stripped down to their boxer shorts in an effort to catch an alleged intoxicated speeding driver last Saturday night, Aug. 14.
Sunshine Coast RCMP finally got their man after a dramatic two-hour chase along Highway 101 and into the waters off Secret Cove - with help from quick-acting citizens who aided police in their efforts.
RCMP were thanking Jeff Keogan and Tim Keogan of Alberta and Larry Remin of Richmond this week for the use of their boats in locating and transporting the arrested suspect.
"Police may not have been able to make the arrest without the assistance of these citizens and several local people who watched the area waiting for the suspect to appear," said Cpl. Murray McNeil.
Remin said his family was heading home to Richmond after a three-week vacation and had stopped in Secret Cove to visit some friends. He said it was quite a scene when the police arrived searching for the suspect.
"At one point, the police called out looking for boats to assist, so I unhooked my tender and lent some assistance," Remin said. "I've never done anything like that before, but I was glad to be able to help. Our son is a member [of the police force in Surrey], so anytime we can help out the police, we want to do that."
Const. Adriaan Dejong, a 35-year veteran of the force, said the arrest was one of the most exciting of his career.
"It was the first time I have ever arrested somebody in the water, and it was the first time I ever arrested someone in my skivvies," Dejong recalled with a chuckle in an interview with Coast Reporter Tuesday. "We were just lucky we had our uniforms off. We had life jackets on and when we found the suspect in the water and he wouldn't come in or respond to us, Murray said, 'OK guys, we're going into the water.' I was in the best position to get him, so I dove in."
McNeil later praised Dejong for his efforts.
"Adrian set a fine example for the younger members of the detachment, as he was the first officer to enter the water and the first swimmer to reach the fleeing suspect," McNeil said.
The drama started around 7 p.m. after police received a report of a possibly-impaired driver leaving the Ruby Lake boat launch. McNeil said the driver in question was observed by several people at the boat launch acting in an aggressive manner and causing a disturbance.
"Witnesses described the driver as being highly intoxicated and unfit to drive," McNeil said. "The man departed from the boat launch in his pick-up truck while towing a ski boat, and he proceeded south on the highway towards Madeira Park."
RCMP began patrols of the area and located the man driving aggressively south on Highway 101 near Francis Peninsula Road.
McNeil said an officer recognized the driver as a 26-year-old Sechelt man who is well known to police. The driver was under court order to not consume alcohol and was also prohibited from operating a motor vehicle, McNeil said.
"The officer activated his lights and sirens and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver did not stop for police and he continued to drive through the many sharp corners and curves south of Madeira Park," he said. "A second police vehicle joined in the pursuit of the vehicle as it continued to drive south at a high rate of speed."
McNeil said a female passenger in the truck was seen by police taking pictures of the pursuing police cars with her cell phone camera as the truck sped down the highway.
The chase continued for several kilometres before the officer in charge decided to terminate the pursuit after 10 minutes due to a public safety risk.
The truck and boat on its trailer were located minutes later on Mercer Road in the Secret Cove area. The driver had apparently fled into the wooded area, leaving his truck and the female passenger behind. McNeil said no charges were laid against the female passenger.
As more officers came to the area in an attempt to locate the driver, witnesses told police the man was seen running through the woods towards the Buccaneer Marina and nearby Duke Point Marina. Police began to search the marina area, and two officers were taken out in boats by citizens who were eager to assist in apprehending the suspect, McNeil said.
"Witnesses yelled to police that they saw a man jump into the water and swim towards several, large floating boathouses in the marina," McNeil said. "After several minutes of searching, the man was located hiding under the floating docks of a boathouse. Police attempted to negotiate with him to come out of the water, but the man refused, despite being surrounded by several police officers in private boats.
"The man yelled that he would drown himself before he would allow police to take him to jail."With darkness approaching and almost two hours into the chase and search, three officers decided to go into the water to get the suspect before nightfall. The officers swam after the suspect and caught him just as he reached the opposite side of the marina.
"The man resisted arrest while in the water, and the three officers who had swum after the suspect, along with a fourth uniformed officer, pulled the man from the water," McNeil said. "He was arrested and taken back to the marina with the help of two citizens who had assisted police by transporting police and the suspect in their boat to the dock."
The suspect, Rusty Winchester, made an appearance in Sechelt Provincial Court on Monday for a bail hearing. His bail was denied and he remains in custody. He is facing several charges including causing a police pursuit, breach of recognizance, resisting arrest, dangerous driving and prohibited driving. His next court appearance is slated for Aug. 25.
