Alberta’s police watchdog has been called in to investigate after a man suffered multiple injuries, including a skull fracture, while being arrested by officers with the Stony Plain RCMP on Sunday.
The suspect allegedly ran away after Mounties pulled over the vehicle he was travelling in.
“The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has been directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding a traffic stop by members of the Stony Plain RCMP that resulted in serious injury to a 29-year-old man,” ASIRT said in a news release on Thursday.
“ASIRT’s investigation will focus on the man’s arrest and the circumstances surrounding his serious injury. The RCMP will maintain responsibility over the investigation into the criminal conduct of the occupants of the vehicle.”
The civilian oversight agency said Mounties stopped a vehicle with two people in it on Township Road 232 and Range Road 280 at 1:46 a.m.
“Police identified the passenger, a 29-year-old man, and advised him that he would be detained on outstanding warrants,” ASIRT said.
“The man got out of the vehicle and ran into a wooded area north of the vehicle stop location.”
According to ASIRT, a police dog and its handler were brought in to help find the man and “a confrontation occurred” when they caught up to him.
“During a struggle with officers, the man sustained dog bite punctures (and) scratches on his right forearm, cuts or bite marks to the left ear and surrounding area and a skull fracture with a cut on the left side of his head near the ear,” the police watchdog said.
The man was taken to hospital and received stitches by his ear. The skull fracture was “deemed minor” and he was medically cleared and released into police custody.
“At the time of the stop, the man had outstanding warrants for possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace, possession of a controlled substance, theft under $5,000 and three counts of failing to appear in court,” ASIRT said.
ASIRT is called upon to investigate incidents involving Alberta law enforcement agencies that result in serious injury or death, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
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