A battered pickup truck that left a trail of destruction along Shelbourne Street could help police find the driver responsible for the carnage.
On Monday around 5:40 p.m., the truck knocked down street signs, ran over curbs and collided with three vehicles, including a bus.
The first crash came when the truck drove through the Petro-Canada station on the northeast corner of McKenzie Avenue and Shelbourne, where a parked car was hit. Almost flipping over as it turned out of the parking lot onto Shelbourne, the truck hit a B.C. Transit bus. Then it hit one last vehicle that was exiting Tuscany Village. The truck fled northbound on Shelbourne.
Officers in the area heard the crashes, but could not find the truck.
A description of the vehicle – a white, ’90s-model Ford F150 or F250 pickup with a unique green band running along its sides – was released following the incident, which led to its discovery Wednesday in Gordon Head.
At the News’ deadline, police were still awaiting approval for a search warrant to access the truck, which was sitting on private property.
“We feel it is the same vehicle, however we have no idea until we have access to it and can inspect it,” said Sgt. Dean Jantzen.
From the road, however, Jantzen said it was apparent that the truck had “significant body damage” consistent with damage that would be sustained in the crashes that occurred Monday.
No one in the vehicles struck was seriously injured, although the driver in the parked vehicle was taken to hospital for evaluation.
“Absent the assistance of our media partners and the public, there was little to go on for our investigators,”
Jantzen said.
As of Wednesday, Jantzen explained that the reason a search warrant was being obtained is that it is not yet known whether Motor Vehicle Act or Criminal Code violations can be sought. If criminal charges are eventually forwarded against an individual, law dictates that the search warrant would be necessary. “We treat it as the greater of the two offences.”
Anyone with information about the incident, the truck or the driver is asked to contact Const. Jon Cawsey at 250-475-4321.
kslavin@saanichnews.com