A 10-hour shutdown of W.R. Bennett bridge due to a police incident was unfortunate but necessary, sa国际传媒 Mayor Tom Dyas says.
Responding officers took all the necessary precautions to ensure their safety and that of the public as they dealt with the situation, Dyas says.
The bridge closure caused great inconveniences for many people, Dyas acknowledged, but that was unavoidable given the potential gravity of what was believed to have been a bomb-laden vehicle parked on the bridge.
鈥淚 know that from all first responders, RCMP, the fire department, everyone else, safety was their greatest concern,鈥 Dyas said. 鈥淎nd there was a risk associated with the safety of individuals, so that was why they needed to take the steps they needed to take.
鈥淚鈥檓 certain that, on behalf of myself and council, we know of the inconveniences that were caused to individuals and our residents. We feel for that. But at the same time, it was something that was completed successfully and nobody was hurt, and we鈥檙e extremely grateful for that,鈥 Dyas said.
A man, said by sa国际传媒 RCMP to be 鈥渋n crisis鈥, parked his truck on the east-bound lanes of the five-lane bridge about 3:45 a.m. Monday. He is believed to have started a fire in the vehicle.
On a widely-shared 2,800 word social media post, the man (who The sa国际传媒 Courier has decided not to name) expressed a number of grievances against police, a taxi company, and people he thinks were members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.
In the post, the man said he had 60 lbs of explosives in his truck and was prepared to set them off inside the truck, which was marked with the lettering 鈥楳r. Chill Ice Cream鈥.
鈥淭he William R. Bennett bridge is closed in both directions until this matter is resolved and my life restored with restitution or my life will cease to exist,鈥 the man wrote. 鈥淭he doors of this vehicle have been sealed shut so don鈥檛 even think that you will be able to open them up, if you try just remember the phrase I will introduce you to GOD at the same time I introduce myself.鈥
In the post, the man said he had filed 24 complaints against 22 members of the sa国际传媒 RCMP over the years. He said the actions of police had caused him to lose $3.5 million.
The W.R. Bennett bridge is the only crossing on Okanagan Lake, and is used by up to 50,000 vehicles a day in peak times. Some people made long detours via either Westside Road and Vernon, or through a Forest Service Road between Penticton and sa国际传媒. Several motorists got stuck on that snow-covered road and had to have their vehicles towed out of snowbanks.
At a press conference late Monday morning, sa国际传媒 police said they鈥檇 had no choice but to close the bridge given the potential gravity of the situation. RCMP Insp. Chris Goebel said the man had made threatening gestures when first approached by police, and then had lit a fire in the vehicle.
鈥淎 risk assessment of the vehiclesa国际传媒 contents coupled with the mansa国际传媒 comments, both over the phone and online, resulted in both the South East District Emergency Response Team and the BC RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit being deployed,鈥 Goebel said.
鈥淭he known contents of the van alone present a significant risk to public safety,鈥 he said.
The man was arrested shortly after police arrived on the scene and taken to hospital. Firefighters extinguished the fire but the vehicle remained where it was, and the bridge remained closed, as members of a bomb squad based in the Lower Mainland travelled to sa国际传媒.
鈥淲e understand it (the bridgesa国际传媒 closure) is inconvenient but public safety is paramount,鈥 Goebel said.
By 2:30 p.m. Monday, the vehicle had been towed from the bridge and the crossing was re-opened.
A subsequent press release from police did not explicitly state that there were explosives in the vehicle.
鈥淭he vehicle was examined by the Explosive Disposal Unit who rendered the vehicle safe for transport,鈥 the release stated.
鈥淭his investigation remains open and no further details will be provided at this time,鈥 sa国际传媒 RCMP Cpl. Michael Gauthier said. 鈥淭hank you especially to the public for understanding and remaining patient while this matter was resolved safely.鈥
Police said no further details would be provided to the public.
During the bridge closure, some hospital employees who live in West sa国际传媒 were ferried to work across Okanagan Lake on a marine rescue boat owned by the sa国际传媒 Fire Department. A West sa国际传媒 helicopter company was also offering people rides across the lake.
