A police officer who hit a pedestrian with his patrol car in Vancouver’s Downtown East side about a year ago has been charged. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of September last year.
Security camera footage shared online by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) shows a black police vehicle approaching a pedestrian who was standing in the middle of Hastings Street, then hitting the pedestrian without avoiding him.
The pedestrian was thrown about 10 meters and suffered serious injuries. He is currently hospitalized, but details have not been disclosed.
Police officer Jack Zhao, who was driving the vehicle, was charged on September 8 with three counts including negligent driving and speeding.
It is unclear how fast the police vehicle was traveling. VANDU confirmed in September last year that the vehicle was traveling at speeds exceeding the 30 km/h speed limit. Vancouver police also initially declined to say whether the vehicle was heading to the scene of an ongoing crime. However, the vehicle did not have a siren or lights on.
British Columbia prosecutors say the charges were approved by a veteran trial lawyer who is not connected to the suspect.