UPDATE:
The RCMP have reopened the William R. Bennett Bridge after the Explosive Disposal Unit successfully "rendered [Winter's] vehicle safe for transport" and towed it off the bridge.
"This investigation remains ongoing and no further details will be provided at this time," Cpl. Michael Gauthier explained. "I'd like to acknowledge and thank all of our partner agencies for coming together and working through this incident. Thank you especially to the public for understanding and remaining patient while this matter was resolved safely."
In an earlier press conference, RCMP Insp. Chris Goebel noted that "the known contents of the vehicle alone present a significant risk to public safety," adding that because it is unsafe for emergency personnel to access the vehicle, "it is unclear if there are additional materials of concern."
The fire department had been using rescue boats to ferry medical workers from the western shores of Okanagan Lake to hospitals in Kelowna.
The original story follows below:
Kelowna's William R. Bennett Bridge has been evacuated and closed to all traffic after a man allegedly threatened to set off a bomb in his vehicle.
Rideshare driver Roy Winter parked his vehicle in the middle of the span — the only bridge separating east and west Kelowna. — Sunday night and refused to leave until issues he had with the local RCMP branch were settled.
"The doors of this vehicle have been sealed shut so don't even think that you will be able to open them up," Winter wrote in a long post on Facebook early Monday morning.
"Inside this vehicle is 60 pounds of highly volatile material that requires nothing more than a stupid human to make a simple mistake and regret their decision."
He reminded emergency response personnel that their vehicles "maybe bulletproof but I highly doubt they are explosion proof," giving authorities two choices.
"Choice A is that today a safe distance from my vehicle is approximately 50 feet," he said. "Choice B is that I will introduce you to GOD at the same time I introduce myself."
Winter was clear about his motive, accusing the Kelowna RCMP, Hell's Angels, and Kelowna Cabs of "conspiracy, collaboration, corruption and crookedness while intentionally causing me irreversible financial harm." He suggested they had colluded to keep him off the roads as a driver, and that he had been left "homeless" as a result.
"In the last 4.5 years, the RCMP are responsible for causing me to lose 3.5 million dollars in lost revenue, income and personal assets," he claimed, arguing that authorities had also repeatedly failed to adequately address acts of violence and mischief against him. In June 2022, for example, Winter was left with multiple injuries when someone threw a bike at his vehicle. The suspect was not arrested, and no charges were filed.
In his post, Winter said he sent "all the evidence" he had collected over the years to Attorney General Arif Virani.
According to Vernon Now, shortly after police shut down the bridge, Winter was "safely" taken into police custody and shuttled to Kelowna General Hospital for a mental evaluation. A bomb squad was called up from Vancouver to ensure the alleged explosives located in his vehicle did not pose a threat before it could be removed.
Authorities have not yet revealed when the bridge will re-open.