IIO Concludes Investigation into February Motor Vehicle Collision in Comox (2023-035)

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release

Surrey, B.C. – The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has concluded its investigation into a February incident in Comox, determining that the serious injuries resulting from a single-vehicle crash were not the result of police action.

At approximately 1:00 am on February 12, 2023, RCMP were at the scene of a collision just off Bates Road near Seal Bay Provincial Park. A BMW approached the police roadblock, paused for a moment, made a U-turn, then drove away at high speed. An officer followed in an attempt to make a traffic stop. The BMW was subsequently involved in a single-vehicle collision.

The IIO investigated to identify whether there was a connection between the actions of police and the BMW’s collision.

Based on GPS coordinates, police records, dispatch reports, and satellite mapping of the roadblock, of the police vehicle and of the crash location, the IIO has determined that the BMW was travelling at a high rate of speed before police made the decision to follow, that the car was travelling at an unsafe speed given the wet conditions of the narrow, curved road, that the officer’s attempt to stop the vehicle lasted less than 30 seconds before the crash, and that the officer was almost half a kilometre behind the BMW at the time of the collision.

The IIO’s Chief Civilian Director has therefore concluded that the evidence demonstrates that police action was not responsible for the collision or for the injuries suffered by the BMW driver.

Background

The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.

info@iiobc.ca