Man arrested after incident shuts down stretch of Hwy. 102

CITYnews halifax / By Mark Hodgins

The RCMP says a man wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant was taken into custody, which led to the closure of a stretch of Hwy. 102 on Thursday.

Police say on Thursday morning, officers saw a vehicle in Truro associated with a man wanted on offences related to intimate partner violence and charges for firearms offences.

The Mounties say the driver fled from police and continued to flee even after his vehicle was damaged by a police spike belt on Hwy. 215 in East Hants.

The driver eventually made it to the 102, police say, driving in the wrong direction before being intercepted by RCMP emergency response teams between exits 11 and 12.

The incident led to the closure of the highway in the area.

Police say 33-year-old Stephen Joseph “Dakota” Maloney was arrested, while a passenger in the vehicle was identified as a victim and released from custody.

“We understand how unsettling it must’ve been for those travelling along Hwy. 102 and witnessed the suspect vehicle driving erratically in the wrong direction,” says Supt. Sean Auld, Officer in Charge of Support Services. “Our officers continually assessed the situation from a public safety perspective, and working in collaboration with DNRR, officers relied on their training to safely stop the vehicle and arrest the offender.”

Maloney is facing several charges including flight from police and forcible confinement. He’s being held in custody pending a future court appearance.