A 31-year-old man was taken into custody Saturday and charged in the stabbing and truck theft from a Good Samaritan who stopped to offer assistance at the scene of a single-vehicle collision Sept. 21, RCMP reported in a written release Saturday afternoon.
Neither the suspect’s name nor hometown were released by police. The suspect will appear in Nanaimo provincial court Tuesday, Sept. 27 (today), RCMP reported.
The incident began at approximately 4:20 a.m. Sept. 21, when the victim stopped to offer assistance at the scene of the single-vehicle accident about two kilometers north of Exit 60 (Qualicum Beach exit) on the Inland Island Highway.
A short time later, police were notified by the motorist that he had been stabbed by the driver of the vehicle that he had stopped to help. After allegedly stabbing the motorist, the suspect allegedly stole the victim’s truck and fled from the scene, travelling southbound on the highway.
The victim was taken to hospital, and was reported to be in stable condition Thursday morning. Police did not reveal the nature of the stab wound.
“There was the potential for it to be life-threatening,” said Cpl. Don Helgeson of Oceanside RCMP. “He was very fortunate.”
The truck was recovered in Errington early Thursday morning, RCMP reported, but the suspect remained at large for two more days. The police did not say where the man was found at the time of his arrest.
The stolen truck, a white Chevrolet Silverado work vehicle, was found abandoned at about 7 a.m. Thursday in Errington, with minor front-end damage, RCMP said.
— NEWS Staff/RCMP
news release