The man charged in relation with a carjacking incident near Creston and police chase in Cranbrook last October has pleaded guilty in the case.
Nickolas Bullock appeared in court in Port Coquitlam on Wednesday, July 31, and pleaded guilty to six charges, including four committed in Cranbrook.
On October 2, a Creston man called 911 near Yahk to report his car had been stolen. The man had pulled over to help two people stranded on Highway 3 on the snowy night. Soon after they got in the vehicle, the male hitchhiker forced the driver out and took off.
Later that same night, a police officer in Cranbrook saw the vehicle entering Cranbrook and tried to pull it over. The driver did not stop, leading to a high-speed pursuit through Cranbrook that ended in a rural driveway.
In that altercation, Bullock was shot by the police officer, suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
Now, Bullock has pleaded guilty to robbery in connection with the theft of the vehicle near Yahk.
He also pleaded guilty to flight from a police officer and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in connection with the police chase in Cranbrook.
While in custody in Cranbrook the week after his arrest, Bullock also racked up a charge of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm against a guard and police officer. He has pleaded guilty to that charge also.
Bullock will be sentenced at a hearing in Port Coquitlam on October 8.
The actions of the police officer involved in the altercation with Bullock were referred to the Independent Investigations Office, a civilian police watchdog. In April, the IIO passed the case on to B.C.’s Criminal Justice Branch. The branch is considering whether the police officer should be charged in relation to the incident.