A 42-year-old North Saanich woman is in RCMP custody after abducting her child from school and fleeing from police Friday morning.
In a release, Sidney/North Saanich RCMP said they received a 911 call from Deep Cove
Elementary School at 10:51 a.m., after a woman who was prohibited from being on the property, assaulted a staff member who attempted to stop her from abducting her 9-year-old son.
Police responded immediately and located the woman travelling in her vehicle southbound on the Pat Bay Highway. She refused to pull over when officers attempted to stop her and sped up down the highway.
After a brief pursuit, in which she struck a police vehicle, she was stopped just before Mt. Newton Cross Road.
The woman was arrested and the two other occupants of the vehicle, her son and adult female family member, were unharmed.
The school was placed into lockdown during the incident.
RCMP are recommending charges several including abduction, assault, failure to stop for police and dangerous driving.
“Thanks to the actions of our frontline officers, this incident was resolved swiftly and the young child was quickly retrieved physically unharmed,” said Sgt. Colin Cook, Operations NCO for the Sidney North Saanich RCMP.
“Family disputes are emotional and have the unfortunate potential to end tragically. We are thankful that, with the assistance of the staff at Deep Cove Elementary, and our partners at the Central Saanich Police that this was not the case today.”
Two Sidney North Saanich RCMP officers were injured in the incident, one while responding to the initial 911 call and the second when his vehicle was struck by the fleeing vehicle. Both officers were assessed on scene by BC Ambulance Service and are recovering at home.
The woman remains in custody while the investigation continues.
