Mounties are searching for an inmate who fled custody at a Victoria hospital – and allegedly struck a motorcyclist with a stolen vehicle in his escape.
The inmate, 31-year-old Tyler Desmond Fong, was transferred from Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre to Victoria General Hospital just before 8 p.m. Sunday night when he escaped custody.
He was reportedly set to receive medical treatment for undisclosed injuries.
He allegedly stole a vehicle from the VGH parking lot and collided with a motorcycle as well as the owner of the stolen car, according to police.
The motorcyclist was uninjured while the vehicle owner suffered minor injuries, police said.
Justice minister Suzanne Anton said such escapres rarely happen, the incident will be reviewed by BC Corrections.
"This is very unusual, I think, [it has happened] one other time in the last five years. So they're reviewing it, and they will be deciding and figuring out how to make sure it doesn't happen again," Anton said.
Fong is described as 6’1, 205 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
The stolen vehicle is described as a brown 2000 Chrysler Concord four-door sedan with B.C. license plate 166 RGC.
Anyone with information is asked not to engage Fong and call 911 or Crime stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Fong was serving a sentence at VIRCC after being convicted in a string of property crimes in Ladysmith and Nanaimo.
He now faces fresh charges of escape from lawful custody, assaulting a peace officer, two counts of mischief, theft of a vehicle and dangerous operation of a vehicle.
Fong has a history of running away from police but poses no risk to the public, according to West Shore RCMP.
