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Sparks fly as SUV speeds wrong way down Highway 1 trying to flee RCMP

Captured on video, the vehicle headed westbound against oncoming traffic before crashing

An SUV fleeing police and speeding down the wrong side of Highway 1 in Chilliwack early Saturday morning, sent sparks flying before crashing into a median.

The three men in the vehicle were trying to escape the police after RCMP responded to a call of “people unlawfully in a residence” at a Chilliwack home, said RCMP Staff Sgt. Jeff Scott on Saturday.

The incident happened between Annis Road and Prest Road and was caught on video by Clayton Steinebach of Hope at about 5:45 a.m. on his way to work.

RCMP tried to pull the vehicle over on Annis Road, but it would not stop.

The Ford SUV then fled, driving down the wrong ramp to get on the highway at Annis Road. It began travelling westbound in the eastbound fast lane as the side of the vehicle scraped up against the centre cable barrier.

The video, about two minutes and 40 seconds long, shows sparks flying as the SUV speeds along the highway, braking only a handful of times as it passes oncoming vehicles.

About one minute into the footage, the vehicle’s hazard lights start blinking. In the end of the video, the SUV tries to unsuccessfully cross the median and ends up crashing into one of the barriers right near the Prest Road exit.

“It was a very, very short pursuit,” said Scott.

Steinebach said he stopped when he saw the SUV crash, as did another vehicle behind him. Multiple cop cars stopped as well.

“I didn’t see the person or people get out of the vehicle, but the cops pursued on foot after them towards the floral shop on the south side of the highway,” wrote Steinebach in a message to The Progress with the video attached.

The three men were all apprehended and taken into police custody. All of them are well known to police.

The investigation is still ongoing and there is no risk to the public, adds Scott.

WATCH: Stolen Bentley spotted going wrong way down highway found in Summerland


 

@PhotoJennalism
jenna.hauck@theprogress.com

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