UPDATE: On Dec. 6, 2022, ASIRT released its investigation which found there were not “reasonable grounds to believe that the SO (subject officer) committed any Criminal Code offence.”
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been directed to investigate the circumstances that left one person dead and two others injured following a crash on Edmonton’s Walterdale Bridge Tuesday night.
In a media release Wednesday, ASIRT said the incident began around 8 p.m. when Edmonton police in a marked police vehicle came upon a black Honda Accord with a licence plate that was different from the one registered to the vehicle.
When police tried to stop the vehicle in the area of 101 Street and Jasper Avenue, it fled the scene, according to ASIRT.
Edmonton police began to pursue the vehicle but were ordered by a supervisor to terminate the pursuit.
Shortly after, police came upon a two-vehicle crash on the Walterdale involving the Accord and another vehicle. The car was initially on fire, but crews got the flames under control and out quickly.
Police said bystanders pulled the 33-year-old male driver and 29-year-old male passenger from the Accord. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
The passenger was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries where he remained in stable condition Wednesday.
The driver of the other vehicle — 21-year-old man — was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was released from hospital early Wednesday morning, officials from ASIRT said.
ASIRT is asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has video of the incident to contact investigators at 780-644-1483.
ASIRT’s investigation will focus on the actions of police during the incident. The Edmonton Police Service remains in charge of the investigation surrounding the Honda Accord and the people inside the car.
ASIRT’s mandate is to independently investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.