On Oct. 29 at approximately 4 p.m., members of the Prince George RCMP's Crime Reduction Team, conducted a traffic stop on Spruce Street.
As the truck came to a stop, two occupants exited the vehicle and ran on foot. The vehicle then fled the area running a red light at the intersection of 20th Avenue and Spruce Street. Police did not pursue the vehicle. Minutes later, the suspect driver was spotted running across 20th Avenue, near Cuddie Crescent. The truck was located on Cuddie Crescent and was found to have been stolen out of Smithers earlier in the day.
Police service dog Azar and his handler attended the area and began tracking the suspect driver. Azar located the suspect hiding in a camper in the back yard of a residence on the 1700 block of Norwood Street. Despite the presence of the police service dog, the suspect resisted arrest. The adult male was arrested and transported to the University Hospital of Northern BC for treatment of wounds as a result of dog bites.
A number of charges have been approved by provincial crown counsel against Michael Andrew O'Neill, a 37 year old most recently residing in Kamloops, but believed to be originally from Victoria. The approved charges are possession of property obtained by crime, flight from peace officer and wilfully resisting a peace officer. O'Neill has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance scheduled for Nov. 2 in Prince George.
If you have any information about this or any other Criminal offence, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-TIPS (8477), online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca, or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES using keyword "pgtips".
