Bodies burned in Summerland car linked to crash 300 km away

SURREY — Mounties say there is a connection between the discovery of two bodies in a burned vehicle in Summerland and the deaths of two people in a police chase in Abbotsford a day later.

The RCMP’s southeast district major crime unit says investigators now believe two people discovered Aug. 6 in the burned-out vehicle were murdered.

They say a stolen vehicle that Abbotsford police officers tried to stop on Aug. 7 was flagged for police as being connected to the deaths.

Abbotsford police said that during the chase a cruiser and the stolen Acura Integra made contact.

The stolen vehicle lost control and crashed, killing both the male driver and the female passenger.

Police say the homicide investigation is ongoing, including identifying the victims and determining the extent of the involvement of the stolen vehicle.

B.C.’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, is also investigating the police actions involving the chase.