It could have been so much worse. Glad you are okay, Alan! Serving the Creston Valley since 1948
Volume 64, No. 41
Thursday, October 11, 2012
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Samaritan gets carjacked, gunman shot Creston’s Alan Armstrong made national news last week when he was forced from his Toyota Forerunner at gunpoint, then pepper-sprayed and left at the side of the highway By LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance staff
TODAY'S WEATHER
Creston’s Alan Armstrong was making a routine run to Cranbrook on Tuesday evening when the trip turned into a nightmare. “I was hauling parts on Highway 3 through Goatfell (west of Yahk) when I saw a guy waving me down on the road. He said he had run out of gas and had no money and needed a ride,” Armstrong said on Tuesday morning. It was snowing and Armstrong was on a timeline, so he told the man and his girlfriend to get in quickly. “Then I said to him, ‘If you were going to Cranbrook, why was your car faced in the other direction by the road?’ I guess I shouldn’t have said anything. He grabbed my head and smashed it against the door.” “’Pull over motherfucker, or I’ll blow your fucking skull open,’ he screamed. He was screaming and shaking. I got my truck pulled over and he pushed a gun against my head.” The carjacker pepper-sprayed Armstrong before tearing off in the 2006 Toyota Forerunner. Armstrong said he was vomiting and mucous was pouring through his nose as he staggered around and tried to get his bearings. “I’d had enough wits about me to grab my cell phone as I was being pushed from the truck so I managed to dial 911. But of course there is no cell coverage out there.” He saw a residence nearby with a light in the window and made his way to the front door, where he stood screaming and
crying for help. But his ordeal wasn’t quite over. A male resident opened the door, armed with a rifle, fearing that he was about to be a victim himself. “It was dark and they weren’t about to let me into the house until they knew what was going on, so he brought his car around so the headlights could shine on me,” Armstrong said. “Then they saw what a mess I was and brought me into their house.” He used the residents’ Annalee Grant photo landline to call 911 and was informed that Cranbrook and Independent Investigations Office investigators arrived on the scene of a police-involved shooting that occurred last Wednesday Creston RCMP and a police just outside Cranbrook city limits, off of 22 Ave South, about a block from Kootenay Orchards Elementary School. dog were already responding. as non-life-threatening injuries. The the IIO's goals are to conduct fair, unbiAn ambulance arrived to transport Armstrong to Creston Valley female in the car and the police officer ased, timely, thorough and competent Hospital, but it had to make a few stops were unharmed. The female is now in investigations and ensure transparency along the way as the smell of pepper custody while the male suspect is in through public reporting,” the announcement said. spray was overwhelming the paramedics, Cranbrook hospital. Twenty-six-year-old Nickolas John The BC government announced lastArmstrong said. He was released from hospital early Wednesday that the new Independent Bullock and a 17-year-old girl, both from Investigations Office (IIO) will assume Port Coquitlam, appeared in Cranbrook Wednesday morning. While initial media reports said the control of the shooting scene when six of court on Friday and have been charged over Tuesday’s carjacking outside Creston carjacker was pulled over in Yahk, he was its personnel arrive by air. “The IIO and the involved police ser- and the later shootout with RCMP in actually stopped in Cranbrook, Creston RCMP Staff Sergeant Bob Gollan said on vice will work within the terms agreed Cranbrook. According to an RCMP press release upon in the Memorandum of Wednesday. According to a Cranbrook Daily Understanding (MOU) that was signed by Thursday, Bullock is facing charges of Townsman report, the suspect vehicle was the Chief Civilian Director and B.C.'s robbery and possession of stolen proppulled over a short time later, RCMP police services in July, 2012. The MOU erty. The girl, who cannot be named pulled over the suspect vehicle in provides for circumstances where there because she is under 18 years old, is facing one charge of possession of stolen Cranbrook and the male carjacking sus- are concurrent investigations underway. “As set by the Chief Civilian Director, property. pect was shot. He has what police describe
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