Woman dragged under vehicle in Vancouver may have walked between van and trailer, police say

The Vancouver Police have unveiled new information in the case of Desiree Evancio, who was dragged for several blocks underneath a van in the Downtown Eastside.

Evancio suffered life-altering injuries as a result of the incident, which happened at around 12:30 am on Oct. 12, 2019 near the intersection of East Hastings Street and Jackson Avenue.

Initial reports said she was struck by a vehicle and became pinned underneath. The driver didn’t notice until they parked the vehicle.

Sgt. Steve Addison confirmed to NowMedia that, while the investigation is still ongoing, evidence now suggests that the victim stepped between the van and trailer while it was stopped in traffic.

Last week, it came to light that a punk band from the USA may have been involved in the incident.

According to a report from CTV News Vancouver, that night a band called Off With Their Heads had been playing at the SBC Restaurant on East Hastings Street, where the vehicle came to a stop with Evancio’s body underneath.

They added that one man believed to be one of the band members, was seen taking a breathalyzer test at the scene.

"We believe the driver had alcohol in his system and was impaired to some degree. No conclusions have been made regarding what that level of impairment played in the collision," said Sgt. Addison.

The band has released a statement on their Facebook page that appears to address the incident.

Band member Ryan Young wrote in the post that they have decided to cancel the remainder of a North American tour they were on due to an accident that a band member was involved in.

“We are all waiting for more information to come to light. Until that happens, I don’t feel comfortable carrying on playing live shows,” Young said. “Due to the sensitive nature of an accident a band member was involved with, I can’t elaborate any more than that.”

Young added that when he is able to share more information, he will definitely do so.