Nanaimo ferry terminal incident leads to weapons charges

A 55-year-old woman, Dena Marie McCaughey, has been arrested and charged following a volatile incident at the Hullo ferry terminal in Nanaimo on October 4. The situation reportedly began when McCaughey attempted to board a sailing using a ticket from the previous day and was refused boarding.

According to the Nanaimo RCMP, McCaughey became agitated and allegedly produced a knife while making threats toward terminal employees. Police responded to multiple 911 calls and located the suspect a short distance from the terminal near the Helijet helipad. Officers recovered a knife and brass knuckles at the scene. No injuries were reported.

The BC Prosecution Service has approved three charges against McCaughey: assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and obstructing a peace officer. McCaughey was held in custody overnight and was expected to appear in court. She is also facing unrelated charges from a previous incident in Colwood.