Driver arrested after causing 4-vehicle crash near downtown Victoria

A driver is in custody after causing a four-vehicle crash while fleeing police in Victoria shortly after midnight Saturday, officers say.

Victoria police say officers attempted to pull over a vehicle near Gorge Road and Rock Bay Avenue, but the driver fled “at high speed.”

After driving roughly four blocks south, the driver plowed into three other vehicles at the intersection of Douglas and Bay Streets.

Video captured on surveillance cameras at nearby Budget Brake & Muffler and sent by the owner to Global News shows the suspect vehicle running a red light.

At least one of the vehicles can be seen flipping onto its roof. A cyclist who is nearly struck by the vehicles drops their bike and runs out of frame.

The video also shows a person in dark clothing appearing to flee the scene, later seen running in between parked vehicles on the other side of the auto shop.

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Police confirmed the suspect driver fled the scene on foot, but was arrested a short distance away.

All four vehicles suffered “significant” damage, police added, and the other three drivers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

B.C. Emergency Health Services said the three patients were in stable condition when they were transported.

Police did not say why they attempted to pull over the suspect driver, adding the investigation is in its early stages.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which is tasked with investigating police-involved incidents, has been called in to determine whether the officers who attempted the traffic stop contributed to the crash.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video footage is asked to contact Victoria police.