The man accused of driving a van containing materials that posed a “significant risk to public safety” onto a bridge in B.C.’s Okanagan in January is now facing a litany of charges, the Kelowna RCMP announced Wednesday.
Read previous coverage: Ice cream truck left on Kelowna, B.C., bridge posed ‘significant’ public safety risk: RCMP
They include making or possessing explosives, arson, and mischief endangering life.
The Jan. 27 incident shut down the William R. Bennett Bridge for nearly 12 hours while the RCMP’s explosive disposal unit travelled to Kelowna from the Lower Mainland and rendered the vehicle safe for transport.
Early that morning, a “distraught” suspect—now identified by police as 61-year-old Roy Winter—parked the white van with “Mr. Chill Ice Cream” written on the front on the bridge. He allegedly made threatening comments “concerning his well-being” to police before setting a fire inside the van.
A lengthy and since-deleted social media post from a man with the same name indicated the van contained “60 pounds of highly volatile material” he threatened to detonate.
The suspect was taken to hospital after the fire was extinguished. In an update, Mounties said he was arrested on Tuesday following his release, and appeared in court later that evening.
The full list of charges Winter faces is:
• Arson
• Making or possessing explosives
• Use of explosives to cause serious bodily harm
• Possession of incendiary material
• Mischief endangering life
• Mischief
• Nuisance endangering life
• Assault peace officer with a weapon
• Resist/obstruct peace officer
• Uttering threats
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
Police say Winter remains in custody and his next court appearance is on April. 3.
“It is imperative that we protect the ongoing judicial process, with that no further details will be released at this time,” said Cpl. Mike Gauthier in a statement.
