A vehicle owner in the Victoria area is in the hospital recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after he was dragged about 30 metres (100 feet) trying to stop a carjacking.
The owner was standing nearby when someone tried to steal his 2002 Mazda Protégé from a Shell gas station in View Royal on Sunday, according to West Shore RCMP. He latched onto the suspect to stop him, but the suspect began to drive, dragging him along the way, police said.
The suspect crashed the stolen car into a parked camper van, but continued to speed down the Island Highway, swerving into oncoming traffic, police said in a news release. The suspect then crashed into a second vehicle, whose driver was able to follow the suspect and inform police of his whereabouts.
When the suspect stopped on Price Road, police said he was surrounded by witnesses who prevented him from leaving until officers arrived. The suspect is described by police as a 56-year-old man with a “lengthy criminal record.”
“We want to thank the members of the public who alerted the police and prevented (the suspect) from leaving the scene,” said Insp. Stephen Rose.
“Their brave actions no doubt prevented further harm from being caused.”
The suspect has been remanded into custody until his Oct. 13 court date. He has multiple convictions for theft and failure to comply with conditions, and is not a resident of the West Shore, police said.
Mounties are still investigating the theft, but confirm the suspect has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, assault with a weapon, operation of a vehicle in a dangerous manner, and failure to stop a vehicle and provide information, in connection with the Oct. 2 incidents.
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