A driver allegedly fled the scene of an accident after rolling the Volvo SUV he was driving in Nanaimo’s south end last night.
At 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, there was a “fairly spectacular single-vehicle crash” at the Express Care Oil Change near Needham and Nicol streets, according to reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson. The vehicle was headed southbound and tried to turn left down Needham Street, flipped on its side and ended up in the parking lot at the automotive service shop and caught fire, he said.
A nearby closed circuit TV camera caught footage of the crash and there was damage to the retaining wall and a chain-link fence, as well as to one of the pay vacuums at the business.
The driver, a man described as “heavy set,” was last seen running barefoot down Haliburton Street, said O’Brien. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.
Daralynn Munroe said she witnessed the incident.
“It was so scary with the fire and crash,” Munroe said via text message. “Someone got a fire extinguisher and put out the flames before it could reach the car. I think everybody was worried about the car catching on fire and exploding and not paying attention to the unconscious man from the vehicle that came to and ran down the alley.”
It is not known if the vehicle was stolen, but O’Brien said police are making efforts to get in touch with the registered owner of the Volvo.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-754-2345, citing file No. 2022-29605.
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