JEFF BELL
Times Colonist
Officers with Victoria and Central Saanich police are looking for a man suspected of trying to ram a woman and her two friends with a vehicle and driving a truck onto the hood of a Central Saanich police vehicle.
Warrants have been issued for 28-year-old Johnathan Pocetti in connection with both incidents, Victoria police said.
Pocetti is wanted on related warrants that include assaulting an officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous operation of a vehicle and mischief to property over $5,000.
Police said they also want to find him due to concerns for his well-being.
About 4 a.m. Sunday, a man allegedly tried to hit three pedestrians with a vehicle in the area of Dallas Road and Linden Avenue. The driver then got out of his vehicle and tried to assault one of the people with a weapon before driving away, police said.
West Shore RCMP began searching for the man about 5 a.m. Sunday when he was spotted in a Colwood neighbourhood, but did not locate him.
Police believe the same driver was involved in an Aug. 31 incident in which a man drove a truck onto the hood of a Central Saanich police vehicle after being stopped for a traffic violation at a gas station on West Saanich Road.
The driver then pushed the police vehicle aside and fled the scene. The officer was not hurt.
Pocetti is described as white, five-foot-six and 135 pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes.
He is believed to be driving a green 1999 Dodge 2500 truck with B.C. licence plate KJ7200, and no front plate. The truck might have been recently modified to have a matte white paint job over blue primer and the B.C. licence plate LH8986.
Anyone who sees Pocetti is asked to call 911. If you have information on his whereabouts, call Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or Central Saanich police at 250-652-4111. Anonymous reports can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
