Suspect fled police by doing backstroke across canal: Abbotsford PD

A man swims on his back in a body of water in this photo. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A man who fled the scene of a single-vehicle rollover in Abbotsford Sunday was apprehended after a unique but unsuccessful getaway attempt, according to authorities.

Officers were called to the crash scene at the intersection of North Parallel Road and Number 3 Road around 7 p.m. Sunday, the Abbotsford Police Department said in a social media post.

“The driver fled the scene on foot, jumped into the Sumas Canal, and attempted to swim away,” a department spokesperson wrote in a roundup of notable weekend incidents.

“With the assistance of a police dog and drone unit, the individual was observed doing the backstroke across the canal and was arrested upon reaching the opposite bank.”

The driver is now facing a licence suspension for impaired driving, police added.

The incident was one of 316 attended by Abbotsford police over the weekend, including a shooting at a residence and a theft of $14,000 in goods from a retail store.