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NANAIMO — Two RCMP vehicles were destroyed and a 28-year-old man taken into custody after police say they were led on a “dangerous pursuit” Saturday in Nanaimo.

Police say officers responded to a report of a female heard yelling for help from inside a van parked on the side of a road at about 11:40 a.m., but when police approached a man jumped into the driver’s seat and sped away.

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Const. Gary O’Brien says the well-being of the woman gave police sufficient grounds to pursue and try to stop the vehicle.

Over the next 25 minutes, police say the driver sped through stop signs, traffic control devices, and drove in the opposite direction at a high rate of speed on busy roads before police blocked in the vehicle.

The driver, a man from Parksville, was taken into custody and is accused of flight from police, dangerous driving and possession of stolen property.

The RCMP say the man’s 21-year-old female companion was released without charge.

Police say the older model Dodge camper van that was involved in the chase was allegedly stolen from the Parksville area.