Image Credit: IIO

By Liam Verster / Vernon Matters

IIO

RCMP officer investigated for actions in Armstrong chase

Jan 23, 2023 | 2:34 PM

ARMSTRONG, B.C. — An RCMP officer is facing potential discipline from the force related to a high speed chase just over a year ago in Armstrong.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIOBC) investigated a case of a chase on the evening of December 1, 2021, on Highway 97A north of Armstrong.

The IIO reported the subject officer attempted to pull over a vehicle that had passed at high speed. The southbound suspect vehicle did not stop, and a short time later left the highway on a bend and crashed.

The two male occupants of the suspect vehicle suffered serious injuries in the crash.

The investigation involved reviewing statements from involved parties and witnesses, dispatch records, recordings of police communications, GPS data and medical evidence, including ambulance service records.

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Upon reviewing the records, the police watchdog learned the suspect vehicle was noted “driving very erratically” and “passing semis on the right hand side.”

The responding officer reported they were trying to catch up with the suspects, reaching a top speed of 171 km/h in the process.

The RCMP’s watch commander in Armstrong radioed the responding officer and asked if they had pulled over.

The officer said they were planning to pull over but continued travelling at speeds around 130 km/h for a minute and a half, at which point, the officer stated they had their emergency lights off and were on the highway.

The officer then lost sight of the suspect vehicle and then slowed to the posted speed limit of 90 km/h. The officer did not witness the crash.

A civilian witness heard the crash. The witness told IIO he did not see the crashed vehicle, which was now lying in a field, nor did he see any police emergency lights at the time. It wasn’t until 10 minutes later that police, fire and ambulance crews arrived on the scene.

The two occupants of the suspect vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash. The evidence obtained by the IIO showed the driver was prohibited from operating a vehicle, and a blood test later came back positive for cocaine.

The police watchdog said there was no link between the responding officer’s actions and the crash resulting in the injuries to the two occupants.

The report stated the responding officer’s actions to “close the distance” with the suspect by exceeding the posted speed limit is permitted, but provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act and the Emergency Vehicle Driving Regulation do not allow an officer to continue into a pursuit if the traffic stop is unsuccessful.

The police watchdog stated that when the suspect vehicle did not stop, the officer should have turned off the emergency equipment, pulled over and stopped.

“Canadian police forces have now recognized that continuing a high speed pursuit in response to a relatively minor offence by a suspect has the potential to create a greater risk of harm than it prevents, to everyone involved and to the general public,” the IIO’s chief civilian director Ronald MacDonald stated.

MacDonald said the IIO has two options for officers who do not follow regulations: refer the offence to Crown counsel for consideration of charges, in this case for a speeding ticket, or refer the matter to the RCMP to be dealt with internally.

The IIO report recommended the latter, and stated the responding officer’s driving behaviour will be referred formally to RCMP for a conduct proceeding. There will be no referral to Crown counsel.