VPD officer who hit pedestrian on E. Hastings found guilty, fined

A Vancouver police officer who hit a pedestrian on East Hastings with his cruiser in 2022 has been found guilty of a lesser charge.

Const. Jack Zhao had been charged with one count of driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention. However, on May 3, 2024, he was found guilty of excessive speeding relative to conditions.

He was also initially charged with failing to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian, and speeding, but those charges were stayed.

The charges stemmed from an incident that took place in the Downtown Eastside on Sept. 20, 2022. At the time, a video shared widely on social media showed a VPD cruiser driving east on East Hastings Street before the vehicle hit a person who was standing on the road between Columbia and Main streets.

The Independent Investigations Office, which is called in any time an officer is involved in an incident that results in serious harm or death, noted the man who was hit sustained serious injuries in the collision.

“Upon completion of the investigation, Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald, KC, reviewed the evidence and determined that reasonable grounds exist to believe that one officer may have committed driving offences,” the IIO said in an update in July 2023. “As a result, and pursuant to Section 38.11 of the Police Act, the IIO has forwarded a report to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.”

As a result of his conviction, Zhao has been ordered to pay $2,300 by the end of 2024.

CityNews has reached out to the VPD to see if Zhao is still on active duty. When asked the same question on Sept. 8, 2023, the department told CityNews he “is a serving member of the Vancouver Police Department.”

-With files from Robyn Crawford and Charlie Carey