British Columbia’s civilian police watchdog has opened the door to possible charges against a Vancouver police officer involved in a collision with a pedestrian last September.
The crash happened around 3:20 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2022. The officer was driving eastbound on East Hastings Street, when they struck a man standing in the road between Columbia and Main streets. The crash, which left the pedestrian with serious injuries, was caught on camera.
The man has since been released from the hospital.
On Monday, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) said it had forwarded a report to Crown prosecutors for consideration of charges.
“Upon completion of the investigation, Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald, KC, reviewed the evidence and determined that reasonable grounds exist to believe that one officer may have committed driving offences,” the IIO said in a media release.
“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.”
Video of the collision shows the pedestrian standing, bent over, in the middle of East Hastings Street. The speed limit in the area is 30 kilometres per hour.
A Vancouver police cruiser can be seen driving straight into the man, before coming to a stop shortly afterward. The cruiser does not appear to have lights or sirens activated at the time of the crash.
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