Charges possible for 3 officers after fatal Abbotsford police pursuit, IIO says
Three police officers may face charges in connection to an August 2022 pursuit in Abbotsford that ended with two people dead, the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. announced Tuesday.
The incident began around 3 p.m. on Aug. 7, 2022, near the intersection of Livingstone Avenue and Maclure Road.
At that location, officers from the Abbotsford Police Department encountered a white Acura Integra that had been reported stolen in the B.C. Interior and was believed to have "a connection" to the discovery of human remains in a burned out vehicle in Summerland the day before.
The initial officers lost sight of the vehicle and did not attempt to stop it, according to the IIO.
A little more than an hour later, around 4:10 p.m., officers encountered the vehicle again, this time in the parking lot of a strip mall near the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Commercial Street. This time, the IIO says, police attempted to stop the vehicle, and pursued it when it fled.
During the pursuit, the Acura went off of Maclure Road near Clearbrook Road and collided with a tree. The driver was taken to hospital, where he soon died. The female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.
After reviewing the evidence in the case, IIO chief civilian director Ronald J. MacDonald determined "reasonable grounds exist to believe that three officers may have committed offences" and has submitted a report to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges, according to the IIO.
Prosecutors will now review the case and decide whether any officers should be charged.
"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," the IIO's statement reads.
The IIO looks into all incidents involving police officers in B.C. that result in death or serious harm, regardless of whether there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of police.
In its statement Tuesday, the IIO did not specify what offences MacDonald believes the officers may have committed. It said it will not be making any additional comments on the case while the matter is with the Crown.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Israel has briefed U.S. on plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of potential Rafah operation
Israel this week briefed Biden administration officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of a potential operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah aimed at rooting out Hamas militants, according to U.S. officials familiar with the talks.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.