New Hazelton, B.C. – A 39 year old  New Hazelton man is facing a string of charges  following a Mother’s  Day incident that closed  Highway 16 west  at Cedarvale for a couple of hours.

Just before 2pm on Sunday,   New Hazelton RCMP and BC Conservation Services  responded to a complaint about a man who had set a vehicle on  fire in the middle of  Highway 16,  about 5 kms west of Cedarvale.

Witnesses reported  the  man was swinging an axe at vehicles that moved  past the scene, and could very well have struck some of the vehicles as they passed his point.

When officers arrived, the man fled to a driveway of a local residence where, after a short negotiation, he surrendered to police without incident.

New Hazelton RCMP are in consultation with Crown Counsel and will be recommending charges of Possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, assault with a weapon, intimidation by blocking a highway, arson and mischief.

The New Hazelton RCMP are asking anyone who may have any information regarding this incident, or may have cell phone video footage, to please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or the New Hazelton RCMP at 250-842-5244.