Kelowna Mounties are searching for a suspected vehicle and its driver involved in a hit and run collision early Saturday evening that sent two people to hospital for treatment of sustained injuries.
The accident occurred at 7:12 p.m. on Clifton Road at the intersection of High Road, where police say a black 2000 Yamaha V-Star motorcycle was allegedly hit by a late model blue Chevrolet dually pickup truck. The suspect vehicle was believed to be occupied by at least three males.
Police say from witness accounts, it appears the Yamaha was traveling southbound on Clifton, being closely followed by the suspect pickup truck which had reportedly been seen swerving behind the motorbike leading up to the accident.
Police say it is believed that at one point the pickup stayed behind the motorcycle as it pulled to the shoulder of the roadway. Another witness told police that they overheard an occupant of the truck yelling at the operator of the motorcycle.
Preliminary findings at the scene suggests that the suspect vehicle pulled ahead of the motorcycle and struck it on its right side. As a result of the collision the motorcycle skidded, the operator lost balance and the bike landed and slid on its left side.
Both the motorcycle operator, a male, and his passenger, a woman, were ejected off the bike by the force of the collision.
The male motorcycle operator was found unconscious at the scene by responding ambulance paramedics. Both occupants of the motorcycle were rushed to hospital in stable condition, both suffering from what police describe as non-life threatening injuries.
Police are searching for the suspect vehicle which fled from the scene and has been described as a blue, late model Chevrolet pickup truck, with dual rear wheels, Chevy mud flaps, no canopy and may have damage the ear driver’s side.
“RCMP continue to investigate at this time and police are turning to the public for their assistance,” said Kelowna RCMP Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey, in a news release. “As part of the ongoing investigation an RCMP collision reconstructionist was called out to conduct a detailed analysis of the scene.”
If you witnessed this crash and have not yet spoken to police you, or you can aid police in identifying the suspect vehicle involved you are asked to contact Cst. Beth Paetz of the Kelowna RCMP Municipal Traffic Section at 250-980-5353. Or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.
