A senior in B.C.'s Okanagan used what she had at hand to defend herself when a man tried to break into her home, Mounties say.
The incident occurred in Vernon shortrly before 5 a.m. last Wednesday.
Mounties were called to a home in the 1000 block of 30th Avenue after the resident called 911 to report a break and enter. They told police someone had broken the window of the front door and was reaching through to try to unlock the door.
The homeowner, an 84-year-old woman, was able to keep the suspect from getting into the house by whacking his hands with her cane.
But the man was somehow able to get keys, police said, and let himself in to the attached garage.
Officers said a suspect was found in the garage when they arrived at the scene.
It is alleged that the man was armed with an axe and hammer, and that he was combatative toward the officers.
"The officers attempted to negotiate with the male to drop the weapons, however he allegedly made it clear that he wasn't going to jail and would do anything to prevent that," Const. Kelly Brett said in a statement.
A Taser was deployed twice during the officers' attempt to subdue him, Brett said.
Vernon resident Justin Inverarity, 34, was taken into custody and charged with break and enter, attempted theft of a vehicle, mischief and breach of probation.
