Update on police officer injured by armed robbery suspect
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The Burnaby Corporal injured on December 25, 2009 remains in a local area hospital. His immediate family and others have been attending since the incident.
The Corporal is in good spirits. He has no broken bones and has full movement in his legs. He continues to be examined and monitored regarding a head injury.
On December 25, 2009 at 7:30pm a female committed an armed robbery at a ESSO gas bar in the Chilliwack area at Hwy #1 and Hwy #9. A long barreled weapon was reported in the robbery and a good vehicle description was given.
A Chilliwack officer spotted the vehicle on Highway #1 westbound at Young Road and followed it until Vedder Road when the officer activated emergency equipment in a vehicle stop attempt. The vehicle did not pull over and the officer pursued the vehicle until Yale Rd when in the interest of public and officer safety the pursuit was terminated.
A short time later, an unmarked Abbotsford Police Department vehicle spotted the suspect vehicle still westbound on Highway #1 at Whatcom Rd and began to monitor the vehicle. The officer was not engaged in a pursuit. The suspect vehicle was driving at normal highway speeds.
Surrey RCMP assisted and entered onto Hoghway #1 and 176 Street to observe and assist if a vehicle stop was attempted.
Lower Mainland District Police Dog Service operating an unmarked vehicle entered Hwy #1 at Brunette Avenue and observed the suspect vehicle ahead. Burnaby RCMP officers attended to Hwy exit ramps, Kensington and Willingdon and entered Highway #1 at that point. Suspect was still being monitored covertly and no pursuit had been initiated to this point.
Vancouver Police Department officers set a road block at Hoghway #1 and the First Ave exit. All civilian traffic was slowing down in the area and heavy congestion was present.
The suspect vehicle stopped in traffic on the roadway with the rest of the Highway traffic. The marked RCMP police vehicle activated emergency equipment in an attempt to conduct a vehicle stop with the suspect. When the motorists on the Highway observed the emergency lights behind they all pulled out of the way and parted. The suspect was now unobstructed in front, found large openings on the roadway and began to drive away.
An Burnaby RCMP officer deployed a spike belt, catching two tires. The suspect pull to the right and appeared to be slowing to a stop. The front left tire was flat. The suspect vehicle veered to the left and rammed a marked Burnaby RCMP police car that was blocking a westbound lane on Highway #1. The police car was only partially blocking the freeway and had allowed an escape area and an open lane.
The suspect drove straight at the police car and struck a Burnaby Corporal and his vehicle on the drivers door. After striking the police car the suspect vehicle continued for a few meters and stopped. The Lower Mainland District police dog officer came in behind and pinned the back left side to the cement median to stop vehicle from fleeing in the interest of public safety. The officer arrested the female driver.
The injured Burnaby Corporal, an 18 year veteran recently promoted to Corporal from Alberta and only two weeks in the Lower Mainland was taken to a local area hospital. He sustained head injuries along with some other more minor injuries. He had been knocked unconscious for a period of time.
The female suspect, age 34, was reported missing from Kelowna and the vehicle was on file as having been taken without consent from Kelowna. Chilliwack RCMP transported the female suspect to Chilliwack where she remains in custody pending a court appearance on Monday December 28, 2009 in Chilliwack Provincial Court.
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