The victim of a dangerous, illegal joyride is seeking justice for the injuries he suffered in East Vancouver over a year and a half ago.
Shortly before 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says it received reports of a woman in distress near East Hastings and Semlin Drive.
When officers got out of their police vehicle to help her, a man got into the cruiser and drove it onto Templeton Park field.
Police say he drove it towards a group of families where children were playing, and started “doing donuts” on the grass.
On the day, the VPD reported that the only victim was a “pedestrian” who may or may not have been hit as he jumped out of the way, but needed “some medical attention.”
Chris Taylor says he remembers the sound of metal on metal as the driver struck the bike he was riding from behind.
“It was pretty visceral, it was like, very violent,” said Taylor.
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The joyride came to a sudden stop when, penned in by responding officers, suspect Dustin Tallio attempted to flee on foot — before being taken down by police dogs.
While Tallio has since been jailed, Taylor says there’s still justice to be served.
In a lawsuit filed last month, he accused the VPD and an unnamed officer of negligence for allowing the cruiser to be stolen in the first place.
“I don’t know anybody who would leave their car running, let alone unlocked,” he said.
At the time of the incident, the VPD noted that an officer had exited their vehicle to respond to a woman in distress on East Hastings Street near Victoria Drive.
Upon exiting, Tallio, who has a lengthy criminal record, including car theft, jumped into the driver’s seat and took off.
The notice of civil claim alleges that the cruiser was left unlocked and running with the keys in the ignition.
Taylor says the incident left him with life-altering injuries, including three fractured vertebrae in his lower spine.
“It’s like a whole new body, everything feels different after that.”
He says the physical recovery has been a struggle — made harder by the concussion he sustained.
“Memory has been a big, big factor, reading comprehension, speaking.”
The VPD says it does not have a policy dictating how officers should secure their vehicles upon exiting, and it has no comment on the lawsuit as it is before the courts.