Following the arrest of a 35-year-old man in downtown Victoria on New Year’s Eve, VicPD officers transported him to headquarters in the back of a U-Haul truck to ensure the safety of the public and their officers.
Victoria Police (VicPD) say that at 2:20 p.m. on Dec. 31, officers were called to the 1100-block of Government Street after receiving a report that “an individual had allegedly entered the rear of a U-Haul moving truck and was actively damaging its contents with a stick.”
The suspect was identified as 35-year-old Travis Bradley.
Due to the large gathered for New Year’s Eve events and Bradley’s escalated behaviour, VicPD opted to keep Bradley inside the U-Haul and drive the vehicle to VicPD headquarters.
“Officers attempted to negotiate with Bradley; however, his behaviour continued to escalate. To ensure public and officer safety, as well as to facilitate a controlled arrest, the truck was transported to VicPD headquarters,” according to a statement from VicPD.
Bradley is facing five charges including assaulting a peace officer engaged in the execution of duty, causing a disturbance in or near a public place, mischief, assaulting a peace officer engaged in the execution of duty, and willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
The 35-year-old will remain in custody pending a court appearance on Jan. 6, 2025.
“VicPD wishes to thank members of the public for their cooperation and patience during this incident. The scene drew significant attention in the downtown core, and we appreciate the understanding and support shown as officers worked to safely resolve the situation,” states VicPD.
Liz Brown joined CHEK News in the fall of 2024. Over the years, she has worked with the National Film Board, CBC Radio, the Chetwynd Echo Newspaper, NowMedia and contributed to print and online features….
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