Date: Friday, December 31, 2021

File: 21-51412, 21-51493 

Victoria, BC – Investigators have seized a vehicle closely resembling the vehicle that struck a young woman at Bay and Blanshard streets yesterday.

Just after 10 p.m. last night, VicPD Patrol officers located a vehicle closely resembling the vehicle involved in the collision. A member of the public who had seen the video of the collision online recognized the vehicle, located it and called police.

Patrol officers attended, noted damage consistent with a recent collision, and seized the vehicle. It was towed to VicPD’s secure storage area for processing by our Forensic Identification Section officers who are working with VicPD’s Collision Reconstruction Team investigators to determine if this vehicle was involved in the collision.

There have been no arrests.

Officers were called to the intersection of Bay and Blanshard streets just after 9 a.m. yesterday morning after a pedestrian was struck while crossing at the intersection. The young woman was crossing the street, in the cross walk, with the light, when she was struck by a vehicle travelling northbound that failed to stop for the red light. The driver of the vehicle continued through the intersection, narrowly avoiding additional collisions with other vehicles. The driver of the vehicle did not stop.

The incident was captured on video which was shared on VicPD’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages as well as VicPD.ca.

Members of the public shared the video widely. The member of the public who recognized the vehicle saw the video shared online and followed up with police.

The young woman who was struck by the vehicle was released from hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She lost her mobile phone in the collision. If you located a mobile phone in the area of Bay and Blanshard streets yesterday morning, please call (250) 995-7654 extension 1 so we can return it to her. She continues to recover.

Investigators are still hoping to speak with the driver of the Tesla Model Y that was making the left hand turn onto Blanshard Street as they may have additional video of the vehicle involved and information about the incident.

Several people on scene came to the young woman’s aid, including the people who supplied the dashcam video which has been key to our ongoing investigation. While not captured on video, they exited their vehicle when safe to do so, provided first aid and comfort, remained on scene until officers arrived and provided timely access to crucial video evidence. Additional people in the area, including a City of Victoria employee and a driver of a vehicle nearly struck in the collision, all rushed to the young woman’s aid. Officers are thanking all of these people for their help.

This investigation remains ongoing. If you are the driver of the vehicle involved, have footage of the collision, or have information about the incident and have yet to speak with investigators, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654, extension 1. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

 

-30-