Creston RCMP arrested a young man and woman in connection with a Burnaby fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of 25-year-old Emily Sheane on March 10.
The young man, 25-year-old Ibrahim Ali, was charged on March 17 with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and leaving the scene of an accident where a death occurred. Ali will remain in custody until his court appearance via video on March 23 in Vancouver Provincial Court. The 18-year-old woman that was arrested in Creston with Ali appeared in court on Thursday on a unrelated matter and has not been charged in relation to the hit and run.
On Sunday evening, Mounties were alerted to the suspects after a local hotel reported their suspicious behaviour.
According to police, when the pair checked in at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, they were bloodied and claimed they had been involved in a single-vehicle collision.
Officers questioned the two suspects at the hotel and believed the names and information they provided were fake, but left to further investigate the situation.
One officer recalled seeing a police bulletin regarding the two outstanding suspects in the Burnaby fatal hit-and-run, and later confirmed the two were wanted in connection with the accident.
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In the time the officers were confirming the duo’s identity, the suspects fled to another motel in the area, where they were arrested.
The man and woman were taken into custody without incident and Burnaby police are now in Creston to examine the suspect vehicle and speak with the pair.
Following the hit-and-run, police said a man and a woman were seen speeding in a dark-coloured Range Rover down Willingdon Avenue just after midnight on March 10. The vehicle then ran a red light and crashed into a red Toyota travelling on Deer Lake Parkway. Sheane, who was driving the Toyota, was killed upon impact. She was coming home from work at Joe Fortes in downtown Vancouver.
Burnaby RCMP said at the time of the incident that a witness saw a Caucasian woman exiting the suspect vehicle and fleeing the scene.
Police said at the time that the Range Rover was “fraudulently obtained” but have not released any other details, other than the fact it was part of a RCMP alert about a week ago.
At the time of the crash, RCMP said they took DNA samples from the Range Rover. They have also seized pieces of clothing from the Creston hotel room. The pair have not been charged in relation to hit-and-run but are being held on unrelated outstanding warrants. They will appear in provincial court on Thursday.
Condolences poured in for the Sheane on social media — many calling her “talented” and “a beautiful person.”
On Monday night, the family of Emily Sheane issued the following statement:
“Our family is thankful that the suspects have been apprehended and cannot hurt anyone else. At this time, we will put our faith in the justice system and we want to focus on honouring and celebrating Emily.
“Emily was a daughter, a sister, a friend and a soulmate. She was a beacon of light. Her vibrant energy would envelope a room and her enthusiasm for life was contagious. Emily treated each day as a gift. She lived life fully, exploring the world and celebrating life. With her hula-hoop dancing around her, we witnessed Emily in her truest form: a free spirit with all of her love and beauty to give.
“Friends of the family have created a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. In the event that the funds raised exceed those expenses, the excess amount will be donated to Police Victim Services of British Columbia.”
~ with files from Amy Judd, Jon Azpiri and Jill Bennett
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