A New Denver woman found her self an unwilling participant in a long-distance police chase this morning.
Sue Edge says she was carjacked by a man while driving south on Highway 6 just south of Silverton, a small community on Slocan Lake.
“I was heading to the Castlegar airport because I was flying today to go visit my family,” Edge told the Castlegar News. “I come around Enterprise Creek … and this guy is right behind me and hits the back of my truck.”
Edge says she did what she was taught to do: she stopped and got out of the vehicle to exchange information with the other driver.
“I got out to find out what the damage was — he ran up beside me, jumped in the truck and took off.”
Edge says the man didn’t say anything to her, or threaten her in any way, “but his eyes were beet red.”
Edge grabbed on to the inside door handle to try to stop the car jacker, and was pulled a few yards before she let go. She says she’s suffered some damage to her elbow as a result.
“I jumped into the dude’s car — because I am that type of person — I was just going to go after him,” she says.
Just then an RCMP vehicle from New Denver showed up. They had already been following the man in the car.
Edge’s truck was then abandoned in Slocan City, about 30 kilometers from the carjacking. She says he took nothing — backpack and wallet were untouched.
Edge was taken to hospital in New Denver, treated and released.
“I am not as shaken as I was,” said Edge later that afternoon. “I am in pain, but it is OK.”
It’s not clear what happened after the carjacking, but the man seems to have found another vehicle near Slocan City and continued south.
Police have yet to issue any statements about the car chase, which apparently ended in the Pass Creek area, about 20 kilometers northeast of Castlegar. There are a reports one man has been arrested. There’s no word on what charges he faces.
One police officer told the Castlegar News there were more than 14 members involved in the chase and follow up investigation.