Man charged with pointing handgun at motorists at B.C. gas station

The courthouse in Cranbrook, B.C., is seen on Feb. 3, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

A British Columbia man with a lengthy criminal history has been charged with pointing a firearm at two people at a gas station in the Kootenays.

The incident occurred just before 8 p.m. on March 6, when the Cranbrook RCMP say two people were fuelling their vehicle at the Centex service station on the Crowsnest Highway.

An unknown man approached the motorists and pulled out what police described in a statement Monday as a “small revolver,” pointing it in their direction, before walking away.

The victims left the area and contacted the local RCMP, who reviewed surveillance video and seized evidence associated with the suspect from the scene.

The alleged perpetrator was seen walking northbound from the gas station while pushing a shopping cart, police said in a March 9 news release.

The Cranbrook RCMP issued an update on the case Monday, saying local man Stacey Dean Willard, 50, was arrested without incident on March 13.

Court records show Willard has since been charged with pointing a firearm, breaching a release order and breaching an undertaking.

“Incidents involving firearms are treated with the utmost seriousness,” Cpl. Brett Urano of the B.C. RCMP said in a statement.

“This arrest is a direct result of the dedication, professionalism, and persistence shown by our officers. Their commitment to public safety and their thorough investigative work played a key role in bringing this matter to a safe conclusion.”

The suspect has a significant criminal history in the Cranbrook area, and was charged earlier this year with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.