B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating an arrest in Quesnel that ended in one man being seriously injured.
Quesnel Mounties told the independent civilian oversight agency that at about 5:20 p.m., on March 10, their officers were patrolling when they observed a man driving a GMC pickup truck in the area of North Fraser Road and Marsh Drive.
“The man was believed to have a driving prohibition, and police attempted to conduct a traffic stop. However, it is reported that the man did not stop, and the police did not pursue,” the IIO said in a press release.
“A short time later, the pickup was observed by officers from the RCMP and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit on Edkins Street. There was a collision between the truck and police vehicles.”
The man was subsequently taken into custody but at some point in the melee, he sustained the injury.
Initial investigative steps have confirmed that the man’s injury meets the definition of serious harm, as defined by the Police Act, and the investigation into the details of the incident continues.
The IIO is asking any person with relevant information or video footage of the incident to please contact the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.