A Prince George man is in custody after allegedly attempting to evade police in a pickup truck pulling a jetboat, both stolen in Alberta.
Arrested on Dec. 12, Daniel Arvey Webster, 32, has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, fleeing police and dangerous driving.
Police said it began shortly after 2 p.m. on that day when RCMP tried to pull the vehicle over on Highway 16 just east of McBride only to see it speed away. RCMP in that community opted against pursuit but notified neighbouring detachments.
Valemount RCMP were unable to pull the vehicle over twice - first at the junction of Highway 16 and Highway 5 and then near Valemount as it headed south towards Clearwater.
Shortly before 3 p.m., patrolling officers found the boat and trailer dumped in the middle of the highway just south of Valemount.
A short time later, the truck was seen just south of Blue River and heading towards Clearwater.
By that time, RCMP from Kamloops, RCMP Air Services, Central Interior Traffic Services and the Prince George dog service unit had been called in and a search began for two males seen fleeing on foot.
Central Interior Traffic Services, RCMP Air Services, Kamloops and Prince George K-9 units, and the Clearwater RCMP converged and patrolled Hwy 5 northeast of Clearwater, and a short time later the suspect truck was spotted by police heading south on Hwy 5 past Blue River towards Clearwater.
As it entered Clearwater RCMP's jurisdiction, it drove over a spike belt RCMP in that community had put across the road. The truck was slowed but the driver continued on bare rims before coming to a stop on the highway at Hoirup Rd North in the Vavenby area.
At 6 p.m., a 29 year-old man was apprehended and taken to cells. Police said he is from Prince George but have not released his name and no charges have been posted on court services online.
Highway 5 was closed for a short period during this time but was eventually reopened.
With the help of three dogs and their handlers, the search for the second man continued until nightfall.
Webster was arrested the following day after a resident called police to report a prowler. He was found hiding up a tree after a police dog had tracked to the tree trunk and began circling it.
The truck was stolen from Calgary and the boat and trailer from Grande Prairie, police said.
RCMP are asking anyone who may have dash cam footage of the truck - a white Ford F450 with Alberta licence BBY0780 to contact either the McBride RCMP 250-569-2255 or Clearwater RCMP 250-674-2237.
Webster has a history of such offences in Prince George. In September 2017, he was sentenced to a further 123 days in jail for a May 2016 incident that ended with him ramming an RCMP vehicle at Fifth and Central.
And in February 2014, he was sentenced to a two year conditional sentence order and one year probation for stealing an RCMP bait truck.
A bail hearing for Webster is scheduled for Jan. 3 in Kamloops provincial court.
