B.C.'s Independent Investigation Office has recommended charges in a vehicle incident that resulted in one person's death near Nakusp last fall.
According to the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C., police found a reportedly-stolen green Ford pickup truck heading southbound on Highway 6 from the village on the afternoon of Nov. 25, 2024.
"One officer driving a marked police vehicle attempted to stop the vehicle, but a short time later, the pickup truck was involved in a single-vehicle collision, leaving the highway and crashing into a ditch," IIO media and communications liaison Simon Druker wrote by email. "The man driving the vehicle was killed in the collision. A female passenger was arrested before being taken to the hospital and later released."
As reported last November, the incident closed the stretch of highway near Nakusp for 12 hours. According to Dawn Roberts, BC RCMP communications director, an officer attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated before driving off the road. BC Ambulance Service responded, however, the driver died on scene.
Nine months after the investigation began, chief civilian director Jessica Berglund determined that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that the officer may have committed driving offences in relation to the use of their vehicle." Under Section 38.11 of B.C.'s Police Act, the IIO report is now proceeding to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.
"In order to approve any charges, the BC Prosecution Service must be satisfied that there is a substantial likelihood of conviction based on the evidence gathered by the IIO, and that prosecution be required in the public interest," Druker added.
The IIO won't be commenting further on the incident.
