Man arrested following crash, foot pursuit and water rescue

August 25, 2021
Cornwall, Prince Edward Island

News release

A 20-year-old Charlottetown man was arrested following a series of incidents including a single vehicle crash, foot pursuit and a water rescue.

On August 22, 2021, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Queens District RCMP responded to a report of a single vehicle collision on York Point Road in Cornwall. A pickup truck failed to negotiate a turn in the road, and collided with a nearby fence and shed. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle fled on foot before police arrived.

Police were able to identify the man and began searching for him. About 10 minutes later, police heard footsteps in the nearby woods and spotted the man. He fled from police through the woods and down an embankment into the West River, near where it empties into Charlottetown Harbour. The man began to swim away from shore. Fearing for the man's safety, members acted quickly by borrowing a kayak from a nearby property owner and following the man into the river. The North River Fire Department was also called to the scene with their boat.

About an hour later and approximately a kilometre from shore, an RCMP officer and firefighters were able to pull the man from the water and onto the fire department boat. The man was medically assessed by fire firefighters at the scene before being arrested by police and brought to the Maypoint detachment, where police obtained breath samples that confirmed he was over the legal limit. He was later released pending a court appearance on September 27, 2021 in Charlottetown Provincial Court.

The Queens District RCMP would like to thank the North River Fire Department and the kayak owner for their assistance.

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Contact information

Sgt. Craig Eveleigh
Queens District RCMP
902-368-9300

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