A Sooke man is a suspect after a police officer was forced to swerve sharply to avoid a head-on collision in East Sooke on Sunday, RCMP say.
The incident occurred before midnight on Gillespie Road, near Roche Cove.
Two Sooke police officers were returning from another call when an oncoming car approaching the second vehicle swerved sharply to avoid the head-on collision.
The vehicle went off the road and into a ditch sustaining heavy damage. The driver fled on foot and into a wooded area.
Saanich Police dispatched an officer and police dog to the area. The suspect was tracked for an hour but managed to escape.
The vehicle was reported stolen from Langford.
“It is believed the suspect driving the stolen vehicle, panicked after seeing the first police car, accelerated causing him to lose control, almost crashing head on to the second police car at high speed,” said Sooke RCMP Staff Sgt. Jeff McArthur.
“Due to the officer’s attentiveness and decisive manoeuvring he avoided any injury.”
Police recovered three sets of stolen licence plates in the vehicle, along with personal items.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 250-642-5241 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.