Saanich police are asking for witnesses and dash-cam footage after an incident early Friday that shut down the Trans-Canada Highway between Carey and Tillicum roads and that stretch of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail for several hours.
Saanich police Sgt. Damian Kowalewich said that at 2:53 a.m., police were told about an injured male in need of medical attention in the 200 block of the highway.
Investigators later determined the incident involved a weapon and that the injuries to the male were serious, Kowalewich said in a statement.
On Friday morning, each road leading off Crease Avenue, parallel to the northbound lanes of the highway, was blocked by a police cruiser, along with yellow tape at the entrance to the trail and highway.
Traffic bottlenecked at Uptown shopping centre, where northbound highway traffic was detoured.
At about 8:30 a.m., a Saanich police forensic investigator was photographing a pair of red leather high-tops and white and grey clothing in a small pile in the northbound lanes of the highway just north of Wascana Street.
The clothing and the road were blood-soaked and surrounded by numerous evidence markers.
The Saanich Fire Department arrived about 9 a.m. and washed off the road.
Melissa Walker, who lives on Crease Avenue, said she got up at about 3 a.m. Friday and heard the muffled sounds of men talking loudly or yelling or screaming, which was unusual for that time in the morning.
Saanich major crimes, forensic and patrol officers are investigating and asked anyone who was in the area of the Trans-Canada Highway between Uptown and Tillicum Road between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. to contact Saanich police.
“Any dashcam footage could be helpful,” said Kowalewich.
The highway was initially closed to traffic in both directions.
The southbound lanes reopened first. The northbound lanes reopened about 9:30 a.m.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
