Prince Rupert RCMP release details and background to police pursuit along Highway 16 on Friday

The Prince Rupert RCMP have shed some light into an incident along Highway 16 that has been making the rounds of social media in the last twenty four hours or so, with an information release this afternoon that traces the developments that led to a highway chase from the outskirts of the city eastbound to Terrace.

From their update the Mounties note:

While the RCMP members were in attendance for another traffic related matter on the highway, a black Honda Civic exited the line of stopped traffic and accelerated rapidly toward a police officer that was conducting traffic control. The officer jumped off the road way and narrowly avoided being struck by the car. 

The vehicle fled from the scene at a high rate of speed, driving dangerously, putting the public at risk. 

Terrace RCMP, including BC Highway Patrol and Frontline Officers, set up spike belts at the Shames River Bridge in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The vehicle appeared to experience mechanical issues, and stopped suddenly on the highway near Kasiks Wilderness Resort and the Exchamsiks River. 

Police removed the driver, who refused to exit the vehicle. The driver resisted arrest, fought with police, during which, an officer was assaulted.

A lot of kilometres were covered in a high speed chase along the Highway 16
corridor from just outside of Prince Rupert to the Shames Mountain Bridge Friday

As a result of the incident, the BC Prosecution Service has approved charges against 33 year old Simon Charles Rudderham, among the charges he faces:

Assaulting a Peace Officer Sec 270.01 Criminal Code of Canada 

Assaulting a Peace Officer Sec 270(1) Criminal Code of Canada 

Dangerous Operation Sec 320.13(1) Criminal Code of Canada 

2 Counts of Obstruction of a Peace Offer Sec 129 Criminal Code of Canada 

Flight from Peace Officer Sec 320.17 Criminal Code of Canada 

Failure or Refusal to Comply with Demand Sec 320.15(1) Criminal Code of Canada

Mr. Rudderham remains in custody pending a future court date.

The full information release from the Prince Rupert RCMP can be reviewed here.

For more notes of the work of Emergency Responders across the region see our archive page here.