1 arrested, taken to hospital after police pursue tractor on B.C. highway

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BC Highway Patrol officers appear to have caused a tractor to roll over to stop it from driving on Highway 1 Saturday afternoon.

Video of the takedown posted on social media shows several police SUVs pursuing the large farm vehicle north on Highway 15, also known as 176 Street and Pacific Highway, in Surrey.

One of the police vehicles appears to cause the tractor to roll by using a PIT – short for "precision immobilization technique" – maneuver. The BCHP cruiser appears to make contact with the rear of the tractor, causing its driver to lose control.

RCMP flip trackor on highway
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Police have not publicly commented about their use of the technique in Saturday's incident.

Surrey RCMP, which was called to the scene to assist the BCHP, told CTV News in an email that police had attempted to stop a tractor driving on Highway 1.

BCHP officers were dealing with another call when they encountered the tractor and attempted a traffic stop, Surrey RCMP said.

This resulted in "an initial collision when the tractor struck a police vehicle," police said.

"The incident ended when the tractor rolled over as it tried to take the on ramp to Highway 1 westbound."

One person was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment after the incident, police said.

The call came in around 12:35 p.m., Mounties said, adding that the tractor was "possibly involved in a protest."

Videos posted on social media suggest that the tractor was part of a convoy protesting the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity topics in B.C. schools.

Images from the scene at 176 Street where it crosses Highway 1 show the tractor on its side next to an RCMP SUV with a mangled driver's side door.

Paramedics and firefighters could be seen wheeling a person on a stretcher into an awaiting ambulance.

Mounties said one person was taken into custody and transported to hospital with "yet-to-be-determined injuries."

The Lower Mainland's Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service, which is responsible for the forensic reconstruction of collisions that result in death or serious injury, has been called to the scene.

#LMDICARS has deployed to #BCHwy1 and the 176th St westbound exit, #SurreyBC for a serious vehicle incident. The off ramp is currently closed. Expect significant delays for several hours while we investigate. Plan accordingly. @LMDRCMP @AM730Traffic @CityNewsTraffic

— CPL. Dave NOON (@CplNoon) November 25, 2023

A spokesperson for the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. – which is tasked with reviewing incidents involving police officers in the province that result in death or serious harm to a member of the public – said the office had not been called to Surrey Saturday, but will issue a statement if anything changes.

Images from the scene at 176 Street where it crosses Highway 1 show the large farm vehicle on its side next to an RCMP SUV with a mangled driver's side door. (CTV)