A Delta man is facing several charges after injuring two pedestrians in a driving rampage in North Vancouver earlier this week.
Police were first called to the area of West Esplanade and Semisch Avenue at around 8: 30 p.m. Monday after a man and woman reported being accosted by a man in a blue Ford Mustang.
Following a short verbal exchange, the driver of the Mustang allegedly drove into the woman, launching her over the hood of the car before fleeing the scene.
"North Vancouver RCMP officers began flooding the area, trying to intercept the driver before he was able to escape the area," said Sgt. Peter DeVries.
Within minutes, the driver approached a group of four women walking one block east.
DeVries said the driver ordered the women to get into his car.
When they refused, police said, the driver allegedly struck one of the women with his car, pinning her against a pole.
"While officers continued their efforts to locate the driver, numerous calls were received from members of the public who had witnesses the same vehicle striking a vehicle in the area of Keith Road and Lonsdale Avenue," DeVries said.
The driver of that car followed the Mustang, which allegedly stopped and rammed into her car twice more before fleeing again.
Less than five minutes later, the driver was seen in the 1700-block of Lonsdale Avenue where he allegedly approached a woman walking in the alley east of Lonsdale Avenue between 17th and 18th streets. She told police he ordered her to get into the car. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to kill her and drove off.
"By this time, officers had closed the gap on the driver and located him on 19th Street near Lonsdale Avenue," DeVries said.
Officers used their vehicles to box the Mustang in and the driver was arrested without incident.
The two injured pedestrians were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Officers have recommended a number of charges against the 44-year-old Delta man, including two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, two counts of impaired (by drug) driving causing bodily harm, impaired (by drug) driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, three counts of failure to remain at the scene of an accident, assault with a weapon (vehicle) and uttering threats.
"We are deeply relieved that nobody was more seriously hurt," DeVries said. "Two factors can be credited for the absence of more dire consequences: the swift and aggressive response of the RCMP officers and sheer luck."
