Mountie gets man but needs military rescue after suspect leads officer into icy ravine
A Midway, B.C., mountie who got his man ended up in need of military rescue after a hot chase led both officer and suspect down a steep and icy ravine, according to RCMP.
In a statement released Wednesday, Midway RCMP said it was just after 3:00 p.m., when police were called to a property in the 1600-block of Fish Lake Road in Bridesville, B.C., for a report of an alleged break and enter.
The owner had reported seeing several people outside the home through surveillance cameras and was concerned for the property, the statement said.
When officers arrived, five suspects were seen running from the area. RCMP said four were caught, but a fifth suspect managed to run away into a forested area where one of the officers followed.
Both ended up nearly 400-feet down a steep and snowy ravine, trapped and unable to climb back out, or be reached by any conventional means, according to police.
That was when RCMP called in several other districts for help, including a pair of Cormorant helicopters from the Canadian Armed Forces base in Comox, B.C., as day turned into night, according to RCMP.
The stranded pair's predicament worsened as the suspect, who was now soaked with cold water after running through a river, went into a hypothermic state, RCMP said.
Nearby residents helped out by tossing blankets, clothing and supplies to build a fire to stay warm, the RCMP statement said.
But just before 9:20 p.m., Canadian Armed Forces Cormorant helicopters arrived to airlift the pair out of the ravine using a longline, RCMP said.
A 47-year-old Bridesville man remains in police custody after being taken to a regional hospital where he was treated for exposure related injuries.
The man was already wanted on several outstanding warrants, RCMP said.
Two other men, 44 and 45, and two women, 35 and 51, all from the Bridesville area, were released at the scene, each of whom face potential charges.
The rescued RCMP officer did not require any medical attention, the statement said.
