Officer fired at truck that struck him during traffic stop; driver dead, IIO investigating, RCMP say

Investigators from B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office are seen in this file photo from the IIO.

B.C.'s police watchdog has been called to Creston to investigate the death of a driver after a traffic stop.

The incident occurred around 3:35 a.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from the B.C. RCMP.

Mounties said an officer from the Creston detachment "initiated a traffic stop on a pickup truck, which was parked in a driveway."

"As the officer exited his police vehicle, the truck reportedly reversed, striking the officer, who fired his weapon in return," police said.

The truck was found in a ditch about 10 minutes later, and the driver was suffering from a gunshot wound, according to RCMP.

Officers provided medical attention to the driver until paramedics arrived, but the driver succumbed to his injuries, police said.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has been contacted and is looking into the incident. The IIO is tasked with investigating all situations involving police officers in B.C. that result in death or serious harm to a member of the public, regardless of whether there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of police.

The RCMP did not say where in Creston the incident occurred, nor why the officer initiated the traffic stop, nor where the truck was found after the altercation. Mounties said they would not be releasing any additional information about the case, due to the IIO investigation.

In its own statement about the incident the IIO gave the location of the traffic stop as the 3400 block of View Road, and noted that the RCMP's version of events has not been "independently verified."

"While the RCMP has released additional details, no other information concerning the interaction between police and the truck driver has been independently verified at the time of writing," the office said in its statement.

"The particulars of what occurred in the driveway are the subject of the IIO investigation."

The IIO also elaborated on the driver's identity and the location where his truck was found, saying he was "a youth" and that he and his vehicle were located near Highway 3A and Mather Road.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the IIO.

Anyone with relevant information or video related to the incident is asked to contact the IIO's witness line at 855-446-8477 or use the contact form on the office's website.