IIO investigate crash that could have involved man connected with death of Const. Sarah Beckett

A man investigated in connection with the death of an RCMP officer on Vancouver Island is believed to have been seriously injured in another crash.

Thirty-two-year-old Const. Sarah Beckett with West Shore RCMP died on Apr. 5 when a pickup truck collided with her police cruiser in Langford.

She left behind a husband and two young children.

READ MORE: Police look for more witnesses in crash that killed Cst. Sarah Beckett

A source tells Global News that early Sunday morning, West Shore RCMP were responding to report of an out-of-control party up a logging road in Langford.

On their way up, police encountered a truck coming down at high speed.

They turned around, activated their lights and began to follow the truck.

The truck subsequently rolled over and was found in a ditch.

Two people — a man and a woman — were inside the car. The man was seriously injured and taken to Victoria General Hospital. The woman, who was detained, initially claimed to be the driver.

The man in the car was known to police.

“This was allegedly the gentleman who was responsible for the death of Constable Sarah Beckett,” Chief Bob Patterson of Malahat Fire and Rescue said. “But  they treated him, in my opinion, exactly as they would treat anyone else.”

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) confirms it’s probing an incident involving West Shore RCMP members and has deployed investigators to the scene.

The IIO would not confirm whether the man involved in the crash was directly involved in the accident that killed Const. Sarah Beckett. The agency is also looking into the crash that killed Const. Beckett after learning police had tried to stop the truck that ended up striking her cruiser.

READ MORE: BC’s police watchdog investigating crash that killed RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett

– With files from Jon Azpiri