Distraught man leads to lengthy Trans Canada closure east of Kamloops

Jun 1, 2018 | 9:19 AM

PRITCHARD, B.C. — Traffic was shut down from more than two hours on the Trans Canada Highway east of Pritchard last night as police dealt with a distraught man threatening to kill himself.

Chase RCMP Sgt. Barry Kennedy says police were initially called at about 7:20 p.m.

He says the man was standing on the highway near Stoney Flats Road, yelling and screaming while waving a knife and a machete.

Kennedy says when police attended, the man threatened to kill both himself and his dog, and he had already used his knife to injure himself.

In addition, the man’s dog bit and injured one of the first officers on scene.

Kennedy says police decided to contain the area by shutting down both lanes of the highway, as well as rail traffic on the nearby CP main line.

WATCH: Contributed video from Nathan Ritchie shows the scope of the highway backup.

RCMP members from Chase and Kamloops Rural detachment were called to the scene, as well as CP police, two Emergency Response Team members, a police dog, and a negotiator from Kamloops.

It was 9:50 p.m. before the man was taken into custody and police were able to re-open the highway and the rail line.

Kennedy says the man was taken to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops for treatment of his self-inflicted injuries, and for psychological assessment.

He notes the injured RCMP officer was also treated at RIH.