A Prince George man has been convicted of multiple charges in Kamloops court this week after attempted to evade police while stealing a boat.
Daniel Webster was found guilty of multiple offences, including theft over $5,000, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, and breach of probation on May 14.
The 32-year-old was arrested in early December 2018, along with Michael Rickett, 30 years old, after an extensive chase by the RCMP.
Webster has been held in custody for 291 days and was sentenced to an additional eight-month jail term.
Upon release, he will be on one-year probation and a five-year criminal driving prohibition.
Webster and Rickett were seen driving through the Village of McBride in a white Ford F-450 pickup truck with Alberta license plates and were pulling a jet boat on Dec. 12.
“This seemed suspicious to police and McBride RCMP attempted to stop the vehicle,” an RCMP news release states, and was later learned that the vehicle and boat were both stolen from our neighbouring province.
Webster failed to stop for police as the truck sped off at high speeds, resulting in McBride RCMP not pursuing the vehicle as it was exhibiting dangerous driving and contacted other police detachments along Highway 16 instead.
Valemount RCMP was called in to help with the situation, but were unsuccessful at stopping the vehicle near the junction of Highway 16 and Highway 5.
Another vehicle stop was attempted near Valemount, but once again, the truck didn't halt and kept speeding south on Highway 5 toward Clearwater.
Patrolling officers located the boat and trailer dumped in the middle of Highway 5, just south of Valemount before 3 p.m.
Police dog in the RCMP's K-9 Unit (via B.C. RCMP)Central Interior Traffic Services, RCMP air services, and Kamloops and Prince George K-9 units were on Highway 5 when they saw the suspect truck past Blue River toward Clearwater.
Clearwater Mounties used a spike belt and disabled the truck as it entered their jurisdiction. But that didn’t stop the truck.
The driver continued to drive on bare rims but eventually came to a stop on Highway 5 at Horiup Road North in the Vavenby area.
Webster and Rickett then took off on foot, resulting in the police setting a perimeter with several K-9 units, including those from Kamloops, to track the suspects. Highway 5 was closed temporarily while this operation was conducted.
At 6 p.m., Rickett was arrested and three K-9 units and Clearwater RCMP continued to search for the Webster until it was dark.
On Dec. 13, a resident contacted police to report a suspicious person on their property and RCMP restarted their search.
Webster was found hiding in a tree by Clearwater RCMP, with help from the Kamloops K-9 unit.
He was eventually taken into custody without incident, and now, his conviction includes charges from McBride as well as numerous charges from Calgary.
Rickett is scheduled to appear in B.C. Provincial Court in McBride on June 7 to answer to three counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000.
- with files from Cavelle Layes, Kamloops Matters
