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By Keith Vass - Victoria News
Published: September 02, 2008 4:00 PM
Updated: September 03, 2008 2:26 PM
An arrest was made in Vancouver Tuesday in connection with a hit-and-run accident that killed a Saanich man.
The collision happened around 7 a.m. Sunday morning when a white 1989 Jeep Cherokee eastbound on Caledonia Avenue ran a red light at Cook Street and struck a motorcycle.
The rider, 48-year-old Martin Auld of Birtles Avenue, died in hospital.
The driver of the SUV ran from the vehicle before police arrived at the scene.
But police announced Wednesday that they have charged Gordon Richard Smith, 38, in the crash.
Smith was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant at the time of the crash.
He had walked away from a Victoria halfway house where he was staying after receiving statutory release after serving two-thirds of a 10-year sentence for eight counts of armed robbery.
Smith is now charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident causing death and criminal negligence causing death.
He was arrested with help from the Vancouver Police Department and the Correctional Service of Canada and was due in court in Victoria Wednesday afternoon, after the News' deadline.
Auld is survived by a daughter, his parents, a sister and two half sisters. A statement released late Tuesday said that family members wish to have no contact with media and are feeling a "deep personal loss."
Police are still looking for a woman with shoulder-length brown hair who may have spoken with the driver shortly after the accident. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Isabel Ohman at 250-995-7256.
kvass@vicnews.com
