VANCOUVER -- The office tasked with investigating deaths and serious injuries stemming from incidents involving the police in British Columbia has discontinued its investigation of the crash that claimed the life of a Vancouver taxi driver last month.
The Independent Investigations Office had been called to determine whether any police action or inaction contributed to the death of 28-year-old Yellow Cab driver Sanehpal Randhawa in the early morning hours of Dec. 29.
Randhawa was driving his cab shortly before 3:30 a.m. near the intersection of First Avenue and Renfrew Street when a Car2Go Smart car slammed into his vehicle. Police say the car-share driver had run a red light as he allegedly avoided a CounterAttack road block, and they’re investigating speed and alcohol as potential factors.
In a release announcing the conclusion of its investigation Wednesday, the IIO provided additional details on what happened that morning, from the perspective of Vancouver police officers.
The police watchdog said the Car2Go passed the road check on East Hastings Street near Clark Drive. A short time later, an officer spotted the car travelling east at high speed on East Hastings Street. That officer did a U-turn to follow the Car2Go, but lost sight of the vehicle and did not relocate it, according to the IIO.
The Car2Go turned onto Renfrew Street, and struck Randhawa's cab approximately 10 minutes later, the office said.
After reviewing police records and surveillance camera footage, the IIO concluded that "the actions of police did not contribute to the collision."
"Police were not in the vicinity at the time of the collision and only learned of it after other emergency services arrived at the scene," the office said. "As a result, the investigation has been concluded."
