Man arrested in wooded area after fleeing traffic stop

Mar 17, 2022 | 4:05 PM Pete McIntyre

Police were involved in the pursuit of a man on a motorbike in the urban and remote areas of Kelowna on Wednesday.

Officers with B.C. Highway Patrol and Kelowna Municipal Traffic were conducting distracted driving enforcement on Highway 33 near Homer Road in Kelowna around 3:45 p.m. on March 16.

A highway officer was alerted to a motorcycle which did not have a licence plate and stepped out to flag the rider to the curb. The bike driver initially slowed, then revved the engine, and drove directly at the officer who side-stepped, but not before contact was made with the officer who sustained a minor injury.

Patrols were made in the area and members of the public also provided information which led to another sighting and attempt to stop the motorcycle on Highway 97 near McCurdy Road. The motorcyclist did not stop and continued to evade police by driving dangerously through traffic, red lights and onto sidewalks. For reasons of public safety, police did not pursue the motorcyclist, however, RCMP Air Services picked up the trail and followed the motorcyclist into the Black Mountain area onto a trail system along KLO Creek.

Meanwhile, Kelowna RCMP officers on ATV’s with the assistance of the Police Dog Service and members of the Emergency Response Team flooded the area where RCMP Air Services had last seen the motorcyclist. After a manhunt lasting nearly an hour, police located the motorcycle and rider hiding in a heavily wooded area and took him into custody.

Cory Allan Anderson, 36, of Kelowna was wanted on several outstanding warrants and is now facing a series of new charges stemming from this incident, including Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Flight from Police, Assault Peace Officer (with a weapon). Anderson is currently in custody pending his bail hearing.

“BC Highway Patrol wishes to thank everyone who assisted with this file, including the Kelowna RCMP, Police Dog Service, Emergency Response Team, RCMP Air Services and the public,” says Sergeant Bryce Petersen of BCHP Kelowna. “The level of cooperation was truly excellent and seamless and resulted in the arrest of a wanted individual. This demonstrates how we are keeping our highways safer together.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact B.C. Highway Patrol in Kelowna at 250-491-5354 and reference file 2022-1049. As the matter is now before the courts, no further information is available.