Oceanside RCMP is seeking to identify occupants of a stolen vehicle who fled from the scene of a crash. Officers found a loaded firearm inside the truck after the suspects fled on a dirt bike they were hauling in the truck.
RCMP said it was called to Highway 19 near Horne Lake Road at 5 p.m. on Sunday when witnesses reported the northbound truck crossing the centre median and crashing, ending up upside down in the southbound lane.
The man and woman fled on a green dirt bike, which had been in the rear of the truck. RCMP said witnesses observed they seemed to be injured. They were last seen traveling north on Highway 19 and onto a trail system, according to RCMP.
The motorcycle was later found to have crashed near the Inland Highway West, but despite significant patrols and assistance from the Vancouver Island Police Dog Service, the suspects were not located.
A loaded firearm was seized from the truck, which has since been determined to have been stolen out of Comox on March 11.
“The fact that we have taken a gun off the street is good news, however the fact that these two were allegedly in possession of it, makes it important now to identify them,” states Sgt. Stephen Rose of the Oceanside RCMP.
“We are asking anyone with information about the driver or passenger, or was a witness and has not already spoke to us, to please call the Oceanside detachment.”
