A man wanted for evading justice for eight years has been tracked down and is back in court, say the Langley RCMP.

Jason Burkard, 38, has avoided all contacts with the government since he skipped out on his conditional sentence on May 17, 2005.

Burkard was originally arrested after a police chase near the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove.

Several tips about an erratic driver were called in on Nov. 25, 2004, said Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.

When one of the Mounties responding got close to the car, it struck his cruiser while trying to evade capture.

The car was then spotted again near the Greater Vancouver Zoo, where it had hit another car. The driver ditched the car in the zoo’s parking lot and fled on fot, but a witness pointed out his hiding spot to police.

Burkard was found guilty of possession of stolen property, dangerous driving, and theft on March 1, 2005, having been held in custody since his arrest.

He was released on an 18-month conditional sentence order.

However, on May 17, Burkard visited Chilliwack Community Corrections to check in. He was told to come back a week later, but never turned up. An arrest warrant was issued in June, Marks said.

Almost eight years later, the Langley RCMP Crime Reduction Team re-started efforts to find the long-lost wanted man.

They found he was living in Hope, and contacted some of his family there. Plans were made to arrest him at his home on Feb. 26, but he turned himself in to the Hope RCMP the same day.

Burkard was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.