RCMP officer injured after driver flees scene during distracted driver sting
By Nelson Daily Staff
RCMP said a 34-year-old man would appear in Nelson Provincial Court in relation to several criminal charges stemming from an incident on March 4, 2017 in Nelson.
RCMP Sergeant Chad Badry said the incident unfolded as members of the West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit were conducting a project targeting drivers using their cell phones.
“A police officer directed the driver of the vehicle to stop and upon asking him for his driver’s license the male fled in his vehicle,” Badry explained in a media release Monday.
“The police officer became entangled in the vehicle and was dragged a short distance before being thrown to the ground.”
Badry said that police officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was later treated at Kootenay Lake Hospital.
Badry said police officers obtained the license plate during the incident and attended the male’s residence where he fled from police in his vehicle again.
“Due to the risk to the public, the police did not continue to pursue, but observed the male driving dangerously through a residential area,” Badry said.
“The male was located a short time later parking his vehicle at a mall. Another police officer was able to successfully block his vehicle preventing him from continuing to drive.”
Badry said when the police officer tried to arrest him the male was combative, resisting attempts to take him into custody.
“After a brief struggle during which the second police officer was injured, the male was taken into custody,” Badry said.
“He was found to be over the criminal limit for blood alcohol and under a ten-year driving prohibition related to an impaired driving fatality.”
Badry said Conan Lee Taylor would now appear in court facing numerous charges.
RCMP asks anyone who witnessed this incident to contact the West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit Unit at 250-354-5180.
