Two men have been arrested but Mounties are still searching for two more after two "suspicious" vehicles allegedly trying to evade police at a Surrey townhouse complex this week, the climax of which was caught on surveillance video.
Surrey RCMP said officers were at the complex around 1 a.m. Monday for an unrelated investigation when they spotted two vehicles, a Honda Accord and Chevrolet Colorado. Police said when they approached the vehicles, the drivers abruplty tried to flee the area.
The video shows the 100 Avenue complex's back gate onto 101 Avenue closing as the Honda tries to leave, and the car slams into a pillar and becomes stuck.
Moments later, the Chevy can be seen ramming through the closed gate as officers try to chase it down on foot.
Mounties said the truck collided with a police cruiser as it fled the area at "a high rate of speed."
“We’re very fortunate it was the early morning hours,” said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Elenore Sturko. “There were not a lot of people around but this just shows the disregard for the safety of others when individuals engage in this type of dangerous activity.”
Many neighbours were awoken by the sound of the gate being smashed.
“The sirens woke me up,” one woman who lives in the townhouse complex said. “I just heard a really large crash then the truck crash our gate. It’s really scary”
Police say the truck was later located and seized as part of the investigation.
They also seized a collapsible semi-automatic pistol carbine firearm, a hunting knife and latex gloves from the Honda.
"We are happy to be able to get this firearm off the street," Cpl. Elenore Sturko with Surrey RCMP told CTV News.
Two of the men who were in the Honda were arrested at the scene.
Ryan Molnar, 30, is facing 10 charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. Court records reveal he has a long criminal history including a conviction for drug trafficking and was on bail for unrelated charges in connection with a separate slew of criminal charges at the time. The second man has been remanded to custody on unrelated warrants and has not been formally charged in relation to this investigation.
A third man who’d been in the back seat of the Honda can be seen running away as Mounties chased Molnar and the other man. RCMP are also searching for the driver of the Chevy that blasted through the gate.
That metal gate was badly damaged and has now been removed. A contractor was at the complex Friday morning assessing damage to the brick pillar that was also damaged.
Surrey RCMP has asked anyone with information to contact them at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Angela Jung and Penny Daflos
