Police in Victoria are investigating after one person was stabbed, and a stolen vehicle was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run in James Bay.
In a news release, Victoria Police say officers were called to Simcoe Street shortly before 11:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 21) where they found a man suffering from non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say the man told officers that he had parked his vehicle at a nearby residence on Simcoe Street when he was confronted by two men he did not know, which led to an altercation and one of them being stabbed.
VicPD have not publicly disclosed who was stabbed.
Following the altercation, police say, the two men then stole the man’s vehicle and fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
A short time later, officers were called to the 1300-block of Fairfield Road, near Ross Bay Cemetery, for a hit-and-run.
Witness video provided to CHEK News shows a black Mitsubishi Lancer with damage on the side and its airbags out driving at a high rate of speed past Fairfield Village shopping plaza. A second video clip shows a Dodge RAM pickup truck parked along Fairfield Road with damage and a missing driver’s side rear wheel.
Holly Snippa, who witnessed the Mitsubishi Lancer driving away and captured the video, told CHEK News she was walking with friends through Ross Bay Cemetary when they heard what sounded like a car crash.
“We were really curious as to what it was and we heard this car that sounded like it was not running properly, like barreling down the road,” said Snippa. “We ran up and we saw like a totaled Mitsubishi Lancer driving with its airbags popped, glass windows shattered like it looked like he was fleeing the scene of a crash.”
Snippa explained that they then headed down the road towards where they heard the crash and saw the Dodge pickup. She said after that, they happened to notice a police officer nearby.
“We went back to our vehicles and there was already a police officer just right down the road. So, my friend flagged him down,” she said.
Snippa said she felt bad for the owner of the pickup truck and was irritated that someone would drive so recklessly.
“I was pretty annoyed how someone could just do that and have a total disregard for someone’s property and I was also concerned for any other citizens that were on the street because . . . [the driver] had no regard for anyone’s safety.”
The stolen vehicle — the make and model was not disclosed in the release — was later recovered by police.
Victoria Police are asking anyone who witnessed or has surveillance video or information of either the altercation and theft of the vehicle or the crash to contact them at 1-250-995-7654 extension 1.
Witnesses say the vehicle above, captured in user-submitted video, fled the scene after crashing into a parked pickup truck on Fairfield Road on Oct. 21. (Holly Snippa/Submitted)
Nicholas Pescod
Hannah Lepine
