Man suspected of drug activity in Abbotsford becomes assaultive, later crashes into utility pole in Agassiz

ABBOTSFORD – A 23-year-old man who appeared to be slumped over in the driver’s seat of his vehicle in Abbotsford became assaultive when police tried to intervene Sunday night, but after fleeing the scene, he later crashed and struck a utility pole in Agassiz.

According to a statement from Abbotsford PD spokesperson Sgt. Paul Walker, police in Abbotsford received a report from a concerned citizen just after 7 p.m. Sunday night (Oct. 18) about a suspicious vehicle in the 2500 block of Mitchell Street. The caller advised police that a man appeared to be slumped over in the driver’s seat.

Sgt. Walker says patrol officers attended and located the vehicle. They positioned their police vehicles in front to safely contain it while they investigated the matter. As officers approached and made contact with the driver, they observed drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. Based on these observations, coupled with the driver’s condition, officers suspected the man was impaired by drugs and attempted to wake him. 

When the driver became alert, he was directed to exit the vehicle, Sgt. Walker said. Instead, he became assaultive with officers and abruptly placed the vehicle into reverse. With an officer standing in the doorway of the vehicle, the driver accelerated backward and fled the scene at a high rate of speed. In the interest of public safety, officers did not pursue the vehicle, Sgt. Walker said.