A man has been arrested after he was allegedly filmed pouring chemicals into the vehicles of Kaslo residents.
Kaslo RCMP said in a release Wednesday that Benjamin Velt had been taken into custody on Nov. 21 following a long chase near his residence in Meadow Creek.
Velt was allegedly spotted Nov. 18 wearing a respirator and HAZMAT suit as he poured a substance into vehicles belonging to a Kaslo couple. Velt was previously convicted of assaulting one of the victims earlier this year and had been ordered not to contact the couple.
Police said surveillance footage at a local business shows Velt purchasing chemicals that when combined create a dangerous gas.
Velt allegedly attempted to flee when officers arrived to execute an arrest warrant at his property. RCMP said a spike belt was deployed before Velt led police on a three-hour foot chase.
Several weapons including a loaded semi-automatic hand gun and a loaded rifle were also allegedly found on his property.
The couples’ vehicles meanwhile were moved to a safe location where they would be treated by a HAZMAT recovery team.
Velt is charged with breach of probation order, flight from police and two counts of storage of firearms contrary to regulation. His next court date is Nov. 29 in Kelowna.
