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Langford man arrested after fleeing a serious crash in Saanich

Other driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police say
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Saanich police were at the scene of a crash two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of McKenzie Avenue east of the Pat Bay Highway near Rainbow Street for more than four hours on May 28. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Saanich police have arrested the suspected driver who fled the scene of a serious Thursday evening crash on McKenzie Avenue.

Around 4:40 p.m. on May 28, an officer who was conducting road safety enforcement on foot near the intersection of McKenzie Avenue and Borden Street witnessed the driver of a black Mercedes SUV commit a traffic violation, said Const. Markus Anastasiades, public information officer for the Saanich Police Department. The officer asked the driver to pull over into a nearby parking lot but he accelerated and fled west on McKenzie Avenue towards Quadra Street, he explained.

READ ALSO: Traffic redirected after crash on McKenzie Avenue

Not long after, another officer came across a “serious” two-vehicle collision at the intersection of McKenzie Avenue at Rainbow Street – one of the vehicles was a black Mercedes SUV which police confirmed was the same vehicle that had sped away from the officer near Borden Street, Anastasiades said.

Witnesses told Saanich police that the driver of the Mercedes had run off towards nearby Rainbow Park. Officers quickly found and arrested the suspected driver who was identified as a 38-year-old man from Langford.

Anastasiades said the driver has been charged with eight offences – four criminal and four Motor Vehicle Act violations – including dangerous driving, refusing a breathalyzer test, running from police and driving while prohibited.

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries and traffic on McKenzie Avenue was closed for more than four hours as officers investigated.

Police are asking drivers who were in the area between 4:35 and 4:45 p.m. to check dash cam footage for anything related to the incident and contact the Saanich Police Department with any information by calling the non-emergency line at 250-475-4321 and referring to file 20-11586.


@devonscarlett
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