Two drivers have been charged with failing to stop after an accident causing bodily harm, more than a year after a double hit-and-run in Coquitlam, RCMP announced Thursday.
The collisions occurred around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2024, at the intersection of Pinetree and Guildford ways.
At that time, Coquitlam RCMP officers encountered “a lone female pedestrian” being tended to by a Good Samaritan.
“It appeared that the pedestrian had the right of way and was legally crossing the street, when they were struck by a vehicle,” the RCMP release reads. “Within a short time, a second vehicle struck the victim, who was, by then, unconscious on the ground. Neither vehicle remained at the scene.”
In the days after the hit-and-run crashes, Mounties released photos of both suspect vehicles, asking the public for help identifying the drivers.
Coquitlam resident Chin Tung Cheung and Abbotsford resident Gurdeep Singh Dhanoaa have since been charged, following what Const. John Graham called “a lengthy, detailed investigation,” in Thursday’s release.
“The pedestrian victim continues to recover from this serious and senseless incident,” Graham said. “The Coquitlam RCMP implore drivers to actively watch for pedestrians and take the time and care required to safely navigate roadways. We also thank the Good Samaritan for tending to the victim and other witnesses who assisted with this complex investigation.”
Online court records indicate Cheung and Dhanoaa were charged with the offences in August 2024. Asked why they waited until Thursday to publicize the charges, Coquitlam RCMP told CTV News via email that the announcement was intended to mark one year since the double hit-and-run. The anniversary of the incident was last month.
Cheung was born in 1989 and Dhanoaa was born in 1975, according to court records. Neither driver is currently in custody, and each is next scheduled to appear in Port Coquitlam provincial court on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
