Flight from Police
Relevant Sections of the Criminal Code of Canada
249.1. Flight
249.1 (1) Every one commits an offence who, operating a motor vehicle while being pursued by a peace officer operating a motor vehicle, fails, without reasonable excuse and in order to evade the peace officer, to stop the vehicle as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.
Punishment
(2) Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1)
- is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or
- is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Flight causing bodily harm or death
(3) Every one commits an offence who causes bodily harm to or the death of another person by operating a motor vehicle in a manner described in paragraph 249(1)(a), if the person operating the motor vehicle was being pursued by a peace officer operating a motor vehicle and failed, without reasonable excuse and in order to evade the police officer, to stop the vehicle as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.
Punishment
(4) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (3)
- if bodily harm was caused, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years; and
- if death was caused, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.