One person is in custody following an incident on the Trans-Canada Highway at Carey Road this afternoon.
On August 30, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. several officers attended a pathway near the Galloping Goose bridge at the Trans-Canada Highway at Carey Road to speak to a man that had been camping in the area for several weeks. This man was entrenched on private property with a tent, a large amount of personal property, and two dogs, one of which had been deemed a dangerous animal by the City of Victoria.
Over the past several weeks the man had become increasingly confrontational with police about moving his property. Officers had engaged him with social services and housing opportunities, however, he refused both and continued to refuse to leave the private property.
Police had warned him several times about moving and it was explained to him that he would be arrested under the Trespass Act if he did not comply.
Officers issued him a warning yesterday as well as this morning for him to move his encampment, which was now obstructing a multi-use path in the area. Officers engaged him in dialogue, during which he threatened to kill police with his dogs if they did not leave. The man and his dogs then fled onto the busy Trans-Canada Highway, where he continued to threaten police. Officers had to close traffic temporarily in order to ensure everyone’s safety.
As the dialogue with the man quickly deteriorated, and for the safety of the man, police, and the public, a bean-bag shotgun was deployed on the man in an effort to gain compliance. This proved successful and the man was arrested and transported back to the Saanich Police Department. The dogs were not injured and were seized by the CRD Animal Control Services. The man sustained minor injuries consistent with the deployment of the bean-bag shotgun.
The man, 51, is facing charges of Assault with a Weapon, Obstructing a Peace Officer and Trespassing and remains in police custody.
File 22-16110
Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information & Communications Officer
[email protected]