Charges have been laid in relation to an incident last Thursday afternoon (March 3) in which a driver fled from police in Abbotsford and was tracked by the Air 1 police helicopter into Chilliwack.

A press release states that the incident began when the uniform gang enforcement team of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit was doing patrols in Abbotsford.

Officers tried to stop a vehicle for driving offences, but the car sped away through a shopping mall parking lot and nearly crashed into other vehicles, the release states.

Police did not pursue the vehicle, but Air One tracked it to Chilliwack, where the driver was taken into custody with the help of the Abbotsford Police Department.

ALSO SEE: Fleeing driver hits police vehicle head-on in Abbotsford

Joseph Edward Zaworski, 42, has now been charged with one count each of fleeing from police, obstructing a peace officer, dangerous driving, and driving while disqualified.

He was on parole at the time of his arrest for dangerous driving and dangerous driving causing death. His parole has been revoked and he remains in custody.

Zaworski pleaded guilty in late 2019 to four charges related to an incident in December 2018 in Mackenzie, B.C. in which he fled from police in a stolen pickup truck and then allegedly threw a hammer at an officer when police arrested him at his mother’s home.

He was sentenced to three years in prison (mandatory release is after two-thirds of a sentence has been served), but is appealing his conviction for assaulting a peace officer.

According to the provincial court database, Zaworski has other prior convictions for offences such as fraud, breaching his conditions, assault causing bodily harm, theft, possession of stolen property over and under $5,000, dangerous driving, causing a person to use a forged document, assault with a weapon, driving while prohibited and being unlawfully at large.

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