Image Credit: IIO

By James Peters

IIO

RCMP officer won’t face charges despite possible responsibility for Clinton-area crash: police watchdog

Jul 6, 2023 | 11:44 AM

KAMLOOPS — B.C.’s police watchdog says even though an off-duty RCMP officer may have been at fault for a serious collision near Clinton last winter, he won’t be charged.

The collision happened on February 19, 2023, along an icy stretch of Highway 97 south of Clinton.

The officer and his wife were driving their private vehicle home from a family gathering in Williams Lake when the officer lost control, causing the vehicle to slam into a flat-bed tow truck.

Both the officer and his wife were seriously injured, which is why the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) was required to investigate.

In his report, IIO Chief Civilian Director Ron MacDonald said the evidence suggests the officer had adjusted his driving to the poor road conditions prior to the crash.

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However, MacDonald notes the vehicle’s tires were in poor condition and underinflated, which may have contributed to the officer losing control.

While that may amount to a Motor Vehicle Act offence, MacDonald says he won’t be forwarding the matter to Crown for charge consideration, in part because of the consequences the officer has already suffered.

“In this case, no third party was injured and both [the officer and his wife] suffered serious injuries that have had a significant impact on them,” said MacDonald. “In such circumstances, [the officer] has already received a clear message about the significance of what occurred.”

Read the full report: