A routine call took a dramatic turn on Saturday morning when Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to a disturbance in the 1900 block of Seventh Avenue in Shaver's Bench.
According to police, what began as a report of unruly behaviour ended in a tense manhunt across downtown Trail.
At approximately 10:15 a.m., officers arrived at a residence to find a 28-year-old Trail man causing a commotion.
Upon further investigation, police discovered the man had outstanding unendorsed warrants for his arrest.
When an officer moved to take him into custody, the situation escalated.
The man allegedly swung a punch at the officer, who managed to dodge the strike and attempted to subdue the suspect using a stun gun-like device.
The effort proved unsuccessful, and, according to police, the man fled the scene.
Undeterred, officers initiated a wide-ranging search with support from RCMP police dog services.
Their perseverance paid off when the suspect was located in the 1000 block of Victoria Street, in downtown Trail.
This time, the man was taken into custody without further resistance.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Matthew Leavitt, now faces multiple criminal charges, including assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and uttering threats.
He remains in custody following a bail hearing and is lodged at the Trail RCMP detachment cellblock.
Sgt. Wicentowich commended the swift teamwork and the invaluable assistance of the RCMP’s new police dog services handler.
“We appreciate the support of our new handler and look forward to continuing to keep our communities safe with his assistance,” Wicentowich said.
