VANCOUVER – A 28-year-old man is facing charges after hitting and injuring a Vancouver police officer with a motorcycle.

The officer was standing beside his own motorcycle when he tried to flag down the driver for speeding Thursday morning.

“It appears as though this motorcyclist either refused to stop or was trying to evade the officers,” said police spokesman Const. Brian Montague.

After striking the officer, the driver lost control of the bike at the north end of the Knight Street bridge, a major artery in and out of the city, and was also injured.

The man does not own the motorcycle, Montague said, adding that the bike is registered in Victoria and that police are trying to contact the owner.

Montague said he cannot remember another time where an officer was struck in a similar situation.

“I don’t think this will be an incident where the individual can say that he didn’t see the officer.”

The injured officer, who has worked for the force for 10 years, is in hospital with broken ribs and some lower body injuries but is in good spirits, Montague said.

The motorcyclist is also in hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries.

He is facing at least one charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.