Drivers caught in gridlock capture footage of Coquitlam carjackers search (VIDEOS)

Commuters who were left stranded on Highway 1 Tuesday night are now finally learning more about why the busy stretch was shut down at the height of rush hour.

A lane closure remains on Highway 1 between Exit 44 and King Edward Street in Coquitlam as of 11 am Wednesday, further slowing down commuters; however, traffic is now getting by.

Drive BC

That wasn’t the case on Tuesday.

This isn’t true. Have been sitting so long my car decided to park itself

— Name so I dont get fined (@Tiki1125) November 23, 2022

Coquitlam RCMP had initially said a police incident spanning multiple crime scenes had led to the traffic mess but remained tight-lipped as to the full extent of what that entailed until later Tuesday evening when they confirmed it was related to a carjacking at the Journey Chrysler car dealership in Port Coquitlam.

⚠️ #BCHwy1 – Police incident continues to block the westbound right lane before King Edward Overpass in #Coquitlam.
Expect congestion and pass with care. pic.twitter.com/IkYb8FoLU5

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) November 23, 2022

Mounties in Coquitlam say officers were called to the dealership near Lougheed Highway and Dominion Avenue around 3:40 pm after reports of a robbery involving firearms and four suspects.

Jeff Kornatowsky, dealer principal, said the suspects “battered” staff and stole their personal belongings. One employee had to be taken to hospital.

The suspects stole a high-end vehicle for their getaway, and took the vehicle they arrived in as well, Kornatowsky said.

The stolen vehicle then crashed on Highway One near the King Edward overpass — about a 15 minute drive from the dealership. That’s when the suspects took off.

One suspect was arrested at the scene, while another suspect carjacked a vehicle nearby before fleeing to Surrey and being arrested.

As of Wednesday morning, two suspects remained at large.

Daily Hive

“Multiple victims were injured at the dealership as a result of the armed robbery,” Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said during a news conference. “Luckily none of these victims suffered gunshot wounds or serious life-threatening injuries.”

Neither officers nor the suspects in custody were shot, but it’s not known if the suspects still at large are injured.

Traffic was brought to a standstill in Coquitlam Tuesday afternoon, and backed up through Vancouver and Surrey as well.

This video was taken by someone who wants to remain anonymous but shows some scary moments yesterday in Coquitlam. pic.twitter.com/WWL26JHjmQ

— Claire Fenton (@Ceeceefenton) November 23, 2022

One person captured video of armed police officers appearing to search the area while heavily armed.

Another person shared video of the scene from their high-rise building to social media, which captures several police vehicles stopped along the highway.

@user7343275998129 #Hwy1 ♬ Original Sound – Unknown

You might also like:
• Violent crime spree sees carjacking, shootout with police in Coquitlam

One driver who spent an hour in “deadlock traffic” voiced their concern about the lack of information from police.

The driver said police blocked four lanes on the highway, and eventually opened one lane to get stuck emergency vehicles through traffic.

“I don’t know if they were looking for someone or blocking traffic to prevent escape. But they didn’t check any vehicles in my area as we passed,” the driver said. “It’s just infuriating that there is no information or accountability for fucking up a lot of people’s days.”

Kornatowsky is just grateful is staff kept calm during the chaotic robbery. He added the dealership will be working with victims’ services to ensure the employees receive the support they need to recover from the event.

“We would like to thank the RCMP and [paramedics] for their quick response and professionalism both during and after the incident. They were on scene within minutes from the first call and stayed well after to ensure everyone was ok.”