GUILDFORD - Police have slapped a 43-year-old Langley man with $13,500 in fines after confirming he owned the motorcycle that was driven down a busy Walmart stairwell at Guildford Town Centre in February. The motorcyclist then led police on a dramatic chase through the mall.
Police couldn't confirm he was the driver but, in B.C., the registered owner of a vehicle is responsible for it at all times. There is a provision in the Motor Vehicle Act stating the registered owner can be charged for any offences that occur.The man, whose name has not been released, was given 58 violation tickets for infractions including failing to stop for police, excessive speed, disobeying a red light and having no insurance.Police seized the motorbike and it is being held pending the outcome of a civil forfeiture hearing.A video depicting a police chase was released weeks after the incident. The footage, taken from security and police vehicle cameras, shows a motorcyclist being chased by Surrey RCMP through the Guildford area. The driver then pulls into the top of Guildford Town Centre's Walmart stairwell and heads down an escalator, with an officer following on foot. The driver then exits the stairwell in front of the store's entrance, narrowly missing a mother and child before taking off.The footage shows the chase continuing into the Tynehead area. The suspect was last spotted near the Langley-Surrey border. The motorcycle, with a stolen plate, was later found dumped in a wooded area in North Surrey.