Image: William Snow, used with permission / The aftermath of Friday evening's crash between an RCMP SUV and a four-door sedan. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Weekend motor vehicle incident

Witness believes Chilliwack RCMP member was speeding prior to Young Road crash

Jun 2, 2025 | 9:13 AM

CHILLIWACK — A Chilliwack resident who witnessed Friday’s motor vehicle incident involving an RCMP SUV and a passenger vehicle says the RCMP member was speeding on Young Road just before the collision.

According to scanner traffic, the two-car crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m. Friday night at the intersection of Young Road and Reece Avenue, north of downtown Chilliwack. Three RCMP vehicles attended along with Chilliwack Fire Engine 1 from the Cheam Avenue firehall. Both vehicles sustained damage, including damage to the front of the SUV cruiser and the side of the Kia passenger vehicle, which bore the brunt of most of it. The Kia vehicle had an N sticker on it. No ambulance was required. The RCMP cruiser’s air bags deployed due to the crash. Both vehicles were towed by local tow companies.

Image: David Seltenrich, used with permission / A passenger vehicle and an RCMP vehicle were towed after a two-car crash Friday night on Young Road.

Catharine Çağlayan says she was following the RCMP SUV on Young Road before it collided and estimates the police vehicle was travelling between 70 km/h and 80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. She provided a statement to police after the motor vehicle incident.

“The police officer was speeding down Young doing 70-80 km/h. I was following the cop and he was gaining speed on me. No lights,” Çağlayan said. “I didn’t see whether or not the grey sedan ran the stop sign or not, but I did see the cop throw the lights on seconds before impact.”

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A person named Edyahs Llessur wrote on Facebook that the driver of the four-door passenger vehicle was at fault.

“Saw it happen. Car blew the stop sign. Not the [RCMP] member’s fault here.”

Çağlayan casts doubt on that assessment. She says she witnessed the RCMP cruiser passing through the Central Elementary area of Young Road at a high rate of speed.

“My thought was, ‘Wow, that cop is going fast.’ Then, I turned [onto Young Road] and started to follow and he was gaining speed on my 50 km/h,” she said. “I don’t recall the car blowing the stop sign. Just the car crossing/turning and the lights of the cop car going on seconds before impact. If the new driver thought there was time and the cop was speeding, it’s kind of a 50-50 [fault]. But still, law enforcement is supposed to lead by example. Buddy looked to be doing at least 70 and he was gaining speed when I was behind him at 50.”

Çağlayan says she provided a statement to a female RCMP member, while a male RCMP member reportedly accepted a statement from the driver of the passenger vehicle.