A Mountie had to fight for more than just the arrest of a suspect, early Tuesday morning.
Police got the call at about 4:20 a.m. that the BX Cold Beer and Wine Store was in the process of a break-and-enter. Police got there in time to observe the suspect leaving the area in a vehicle, but he also saw them.
"The driver of the vehicle began to drive erratically, including through a red light, and did not stop for police," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Cpl. Craig Douglass.
They did not engage in a high-speed chase themselves, he said, but progressed methodically in the direction the suspect took. They soon spotted the vehicle used for the incident abandoned at the corner of 17th Avenue and Juniper Street. The suspect was seen fleeing the parked car.
"A foot chase ensued," said Douglass. The suspect was tracked down by one police member while others set up a perimeter. When that officer closed the gap on the suspect, it changed from a flight to a fight.
"This member was certainly in a difficult situation, as the suspect was aggressive about not wanted to be caught," Douglass said.
"The suspect attempted to disarm the police officer, the altercation went that far, but the member was able to prevent that from happening and was successful in arresting him and putting him in handcuffs as backup was arriving. It was quick, but when you are all-out physically fighting literally for your life, even a minute seems surprisingly long to the people involved."
Robert Henry Wiebe, 51 has now been charged with a number of offenses related to the alleged robbery, the driving allegations, and the altercation with police he is accused of. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday on these matters.
