A White Rock RCMP officer has been charged in connection with a 2011 police pursuit that resulted in the death of a pedestrian.
Const. David Bickle is accused of chasing a suspect on May 18 who eventually ran a red light and fatally struck 56-year-old Marilyn Laursen as she crossed Johnston Road.
The Vancouver Police Department was called to conduct an independent probe of the chase, and concluded that Bickle had “failed to follow the numerous federal and provincial guidelines regarding pursuit driving.”
“After reviewing the information provided by VPD investigators, Crown counsel has now formally charged Constable Bickle with one count of dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm,” the department said in a release.
Police say Bickle was working alone the night of the accident, and had just two years’ experience as an RCMP officer at the time.
The pursuit began shortly before 10 p.m. when Bickle allegedly tried to stop a 1992 Nissan Maxima on Marine Drive near the waterfront. When the driver refused to pull over, Bickle allegedly followed him until he crashed into another vehicle at an intersection and then accelerated into Laursen.
Police say the suspect did not stop to assist the victim, who succumbed to her injuries in Peace Arch Hospital.
Kyle Danyliuk pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the chase in February and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. He was just 19 years old at the time of the crash.
Police say because Bickle’s case is now before the courts, they will not be providing further information on the file.
