Man who was no-show at sentencing for fatal Vancouver crash is arrested on warrant

Vancouver police have apprehended a 55-year-old man, Raymond Desorcy, accused of being a persistent criminal with warrants issued across Canada following his failure to appear for sentencing in a fatal car accident. Desorcy pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in 2023 that led to the death of 18-year-old Dana Oh in Vancouver. Police had been searching for Desorcy since December of the previous year.

According to the police release, Desorcy's actions were impaired as he was using his cellphone when he ran a red light and struck a BMW, causing serious injuries to Oh and another passenger. Desorcy was apprehended in downtown Vancouver on Thursday after leaving a coffee shop, where he was found to be in possession of non-prescription drugs and has been charged with breaching a release order.

The police report also highlights Desorcy's extensive criminal history, which includes a lifetime firearms ban and over 30 convictions since 1989, with notable offenses such as impaired driving, assault, break and enter, robbery, and uttering threats. Desorcy was convicted of seven counts of robbery in Edmonton in 2014 and was released from prison in 2020.