Suspects are usually in hot water with the police, but a person of interest led Quesnel RCMP into the rushing waters of the Fraser River. A rescue effort quickly swirled together.
At 2 p.m., Mounties became aware of the suspect. Public drunkenness was suspected. Concerned public calls brought police to the rear parking lot of the West Park Mall to investigate.
Quesnel RCMP spokeswoman Const. Krista Vrolyk said the "highly intoxicated female was wet" already, believed to have somehow been in the waters of nearby Baker Creek.
It took police the better part of an hour to locate her, because she was on the move, but more calls from the public directed them to her.
However, the woman did not embrace their arrival.
"She jumped into Baker Creek in an attempt to evade police," Vrolyk said. "She then proceeded to the Fraser River where she was shoulder deep in water near the shoreline."
She disappeared from view.
The pursuing police, out of heightened concern, called in boats and personnel from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, plus the city's Search and Rescue team. All available Mounties also converged on the area.
"Search personnel located the woman approximately 45 minutes later, walking near Doherty Drive, soaking wet and suffering from hypothermia," she said.
She was taken to hospital, and part of the treatment was a psychological evaluation. Alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in the incident.
Quesnel RCMP thanked all those who came to help the search.
