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Nanaimo man arrested at gunpoint in alleged stolen vehicle

May 11, 2018 | 4:00 PM

NANAIMO — A Nanaimo man is facing charges after an incident that led to an RCMP officer drawing his gun in the middle of rush hour traffic on Bowen Rd.

Nanaimo RCMP said a vehicle reported stolen from a central Nanaimo driveway on the morning of May 8 was spotted on Bowen Rd. later that evening.

Police said the officer blocked in the vehicle in the middle of heavy traffic at the intersection of Bowen Rd. and Dufferin Cres.

Video of the incident showed the officer approaching the vehicle, with the three people inside, with his gun drawn.

“Until the risks are known, each situation is treated as high risk until it is known to be otherwise. In this case, there were three unknown persons,” Sgt. Jon Stuart said in a statement.

Tyler Orenchuk, the driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle, was arrested and charged with a pair of offences. He is being held in custody ahead of a May 15 court appearance.

Court records showed Orenchuk was also charged for two property related offences in Vanderhoof in January. In December 2017 he was given a conditional discharge for uttering threats in Nanaimo.

The two other people in the car were released without charges.

 

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