VANCOUVER -- B.C.'s police watchdog has been notified about an RCMP-involved crash in Surrey that left several people injured Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities said an unmarked RCMP vehicle and two civilian vehicles collided at the intersection of 100 Avenue and 148 Street at around 1:30 p.m.
B.C. Emergency Health Services initially said three people were taken to hospital, including one who was in critical condition. Surrey RCMP has since reported that two people – the officer involved and a civilian – were treated at the scene, while the third was hospitalized.
The officer is a member of the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team. It's unclear whether the individual was responding to an emergency at the time of the crash, or if the unmarked RCMP vehicle had its lights and sirens activated.
Surrey RCMP confirmed that the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which is tasked with investigating all police-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm, has been alerted about the incident, but could not provide any other details about what happened.
"As the matter is now under investigation by the IIO BC, no further information will be released by police," the detachment said.
The collision forced authorities to close the area to traffic for hours. Police asked drivers to avoid the area and use alternative routes.
Authorities asked anyone with video of the crash to contact the Independent Investigations Office, which will determine whether the police officer's actions contributed to the serious injuries sustained in the accident.
