B.C. mayor's allegation woman hit him with car sparks mischief probe over possible false statements
No charges have been laid so far in a police matter that began when Surrey, B.C., Mayor Doug McCallum claimed a woman drove into him on purpose – but the investigation has taken a new turn, with the RCMP probe now looking at the crime of public mischief and the possibility that someone made false statements to police.
The interaction happened Sept. 4, at a supermarket in South Surrey.
In an interview with CTV News two days later, McCallum said he and a woman in a convertible Ford Mustang exchanged words, and he alleged she then drove into him on purpose.
“So, she floored her car from there, and at the same time that she floored it, she turned right and she hit my hip and knee as she was turning right,” he said at the time. “I hadn’t moved. I just was standing there. And (she) ran over my foot.”
Shortly after his interaction with the driver, McCallum also exchanged words with Ivan Scott, head of the Keep RCMP in Surrey campaign, in the same parking lot.
The driver and Scott were at the Save-On-Foods to gather signatures for a petition trying to force a referendum on the city’s transition to a municipal force.
McCallum was elected on a promise to cancel the city’s contract with the RCMP and move to a municipal policing model. He has had several other public exchanges with those staunchly opposed to the plan.
In the interview with CTV News, the mayor said he went to hospital for x-rays, had ongoing pain and soreness, and reported the alleged assault to police.
“Well, the police are looking at laying charges,” he said. “So, we’ll see what they come as far as that is concerned.”
A little over a week later, RCMP served CTV News with a search warrant demanding we hand over the full interview with McCallum along with all other relevant video.
The documents cite Section 140(1)(a) of the Criminal Code, which says: “Every one commits public mischief who, with intent to mislead, causes a peace officer to enter on or continue an investigation by making a false statement that accuses some other person of having committed an offence.”
The driver, who has asked not to be identified, denies hitting McCallum with her car.
“We exchanged heated words,” she said in a statement. “He told me I didn’t have the authority to be there and (he) was going to call bylaws … I then asked him a few more times to resign. At no point did I hit him with my car.”
Vancouver-based criminal lawyer Sarah Leamon says the offence of public mischief with intent to mislead is very serious and carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, if Crown prosecutors decide it is an indictable offense.
She also told CTV News the original allegation made by McCallum that somebody intentionally drove into him could carry significant penalties if charges were deemed appropriate and proven in court.
"(It’s) an extremely unusual situation, so I'm interested to see what happens from here on out,” Leamon said. “But you know, the jeopardy here that could be faced by either party is quite significant."
On Thursday, McCallum declined an interview request to talk about the latest developments arising from the interaction in the parking lot.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Mexican authorities say thieves killed 2 Australians and an American to steal their truck
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.