Dangerous driver arrested by police, sentenced to jail time

West Shore

2025-03-27 14:07 PDT

File # 2025-4729

On March 12, 2025, at approximately 12:11 p.m., West Shore RCMP frontline officers attempted a traffic stop on a black Mitsubishi Eclipse displaying a licence plate registered to a different make and model on Metchosin Rd near Latoria Blvd in Colwood.

The driver failed to stop for police and drove away at a high rate of speed. Frontline officers elected to not engage in an active pursuit due to concern for public safety, and instead began patrolling for the vehicle.

Approximately 15 minutes later, an officer observed the Eclipse on Latoria Rd near Goldspur Rd. As the officer attempted another traffic stop, the driver of the Eclipse rammed the police vehicle rendering it undrivable.

Frontline officers once again located the vehicle at approximately 1 p.m. on Desmond Drive. The vehicle attempted to flee for a third time as it was backing out of a driveway from an unrelated residence. The officer directed the driver to stop however he did not. The officer then proceeded to break the drivers side window and remove the driver from the vehicle to ensure it did not flee a third time. The driver, who was bound by the conditions of a Release Order to not be in possession of knives, was found to be carrying three knives at the time of his arrest.

Of note there was a 19-year-old passenger in the vehicle who was released without charges as the investigation revealed they did not contribute to the offences committed by the driver.

On March 18, 2025, 24-year-old Zachary Stormes entered a guilty plea and was sentenced in relation to the offences of dangerous driving and breach of a Release Order. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, followed by a probation order for 12 months. The court also imposed a driving prohibition for two years (to commence upon his release from custody). The jail sentence is to be served consecutively to a 90-day sentence imposed that same day in relation to an unrelated Victoria file. Zachary Stormes remains in custody and is currently serving his prison sentence.

This was a dynamic situation that placed the public at risk. The suspect was safety taken into custody without any member of the public being harmed. This is a testament to the stellar teamwork of our West Shore officers that were able to apprehend and promptly bring this accused before the court, said Insp Stephen Rose, Officer in Charge of Operations at West Shore RCMP. 

Released by:

Email: westshore_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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