Skip to content

Stolen car crashes and rolls off the Island Highway north of Nanaimo

No occupants found at crash scene when witness tried to help Feb. 7
31808236_web1_230208-NBU-Stolen-car-crash-Lantzville-_1
A stolen car crashed off the side of the Island Highway in Lantzville and any occupants of the vehicle left the scene on Tuesday, Feb. 7. (Photo submitted)

Police are looking for the occupants of a car that crashed and rolled off the side of the Island Highway in Lantzville last night.

According to Nanaimo RCMP, the incident happened at about 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, when a driver following a northbound older-model Toyota Camry on the Island Highway near Hillview Road in Nanoose Bay saw the vehicle veer to the right, plow through a lamp standard and then roll an estimated 15 metres down an embankment.

“By the time the witness got to the scene they found nobody there,” said reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “Airbags had deployed. There was significant damage to the car. Nobody could be seen.”

The witness called 911. Lantzville Fire Rescue responded and scanned the area with a thermal imaging camera, but were unable to find anyone in the area and police patrols had no luck either.

O’Brien said there was no blood in the car or evidence that anyone had been injured in the crash, but investigators noted both front airbags had deployed and both front seat belts were extended, indicating there were likely two people in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

“Investigators followed up with the registered owner and made contact with that person in Victoria and the vehicle had been reported as stolen,” O’Brien said.

The vehicle was towed and the investigation is continuing.

“We’ve done basically as much as we can do at this point. We’re hoping maybe someone can fill in the blanks as to who was driving the vehicle,” O’Brien said.

Anyone with information about who was in the vehicle or has dash cam video prior to the crash is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP detachment non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and quote file No. 2023-4422.

READ ALSO: Car goes down embankment and crashes south of Nanaimo



chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
Read more