A Vancouver police officer who struck a pedestrian on Sep. 20, 2022 has been charged with driving without due care and attention, failing to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian and speeding.
The BC Prosecution Service announced the suite of charges against Const. Jack Zhao on Friday, saying they were approved by an “experienced Crown Counsel who has no connection with the officer.”
Glacier Media previously reported a man, standing on East Hastings Street during the early hours of Sep. 20, 2022, being struck by a police car.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIOBC) opened an investigation into the incident last year.
The incident was caught on video, from a nearby CCTV camera, and posted to social media. The video shows a Vancouver Police Department cruiser driving eastbound on East Hastings, between Main and Columbia streets, at around 3:20 a.m. The cruiser struck a man, who was standing hunched over in the middle of the street and subsequently taken to hospital, according to the IIOBC.
Last March, a man named Dennis Hunter claimed to be the victim, in an interview with The Tyee. Hunter said he suffered a fractured skull and leg from the accident.
Zhao is expected to appear in court on Sep. 28.
