A man has been arrested after a stolen pickup truck hit a centre median, flipped over on Highway 19 and its two occupants then raced off on a green dirt bike.
Oceanside RCMP were called to the scene at 5 p.m. on March 14 after the crash on the highway near Horne Lake Road.
Witnesses told police that a man and woman had been in the truck. It had been heading north but after hitting the median, it ended up on its roof in the southbound lane.
The couple appeared injured, witnesses said.
They escaped on the dirt bike, which had been in the back of the truck, going north on the highway and onto a trail. The bike was discovered to have crashed near the Inland Highway West, RCMP said.
Police patrols and the Vancouver Island dog service failed to find the pair.
A loaded firearm, stolen in Comox on March 11, was seized from the truck.
Witnesses had recorded the entire event, RCMP said in a Thursday statement
When officers reviewed the video, they recognized the man as a prolific offender with no fixed address. The 32-year-old was arrested in Parksville, police said.
Proposed charges include possession of stolen property and firearms offences for the man. Police are working on charges for the woman.
The man’s next court appearance is May 25.
“It was very fortunate that witnesses recognized the seriousness of the event, took video and stuck around to share the information with the police,” RCMP said.
