Prince George school trustee Erica McLean says she has been on an “emotional roller-coaster” since being ordered out of her vehicle at gunpoint by police and handcuffed.
R-C-M-P said there had been a case of mistaken identity on Tuesday but it was “quickly determined” that the driver they had detained was not who they were looking for, and the person was released.
McLean says she understands her car looks similar to the vehicle police were looking for, but she has many questions about the show of force used against her.
Two suspects from Dawson Creek and one from Fort St. John were among five people arrested in connection with the alleged theft of a vehicle that looked similar to McLean’s.
Police say the suspects allegedly stole a vehicle before breaking into a home.
Mounties report a Volkswagen was spotted driving dangerously on Highway 97 around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, first seen near Bear Lake, south of the Pass Pine area, speeding toward Prince George.
Multiple attempts to stop the vehicle, including a spike belt that deflated two tires, were made before it finally stopped around 3 p.m. on Nielson Road in Prince George.
Five occupants fled, with two allegedly breaking into a home while someone was inside. All five were quickly arrested, and the vehicle and Alberta licence plates were confirmed stolen.
The suspects include a 27-year-old man from Fort St. John, a 35-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman from Dawson Creek, and two men aged 26 and 28 with no fixed address. One suspect sustained minor injuries during an arrest involving a police dog. In a separate incident, officers conducted a high-risk vehicle stop believing it was linked to a crime group, but later found the driver and vehicle were unrelated. The driver was immediately released, and police have since been in contact to explain the situation.
McLean says it’s her responsibility as an elected official, an Indigenous woman, and community leader to seek answers about what happened.
-M. Popove with files from The Canadian Press
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