Update to IIO Deployment to Incident in Sicamous (2019-201)
Case: 2019-201 Incident Date: October 28, 2019 Agency: RCMP Location: Sicamous Detachment: Sicamous Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Referral to Crown Counsel (RTCC)INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey – On Monday, October 28, 2019, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC deployed investigators to Sicamous following the early-morning arrest and hospitalization of a 38-year-old male driver.
As outlined in previous media releases, RCMP reported that on Monday, October 28, 2019 at approximately 1:30 a.m., Kelowna officers received a report of an erratic driver on Highway 97 near Lake Country. Armstrong RCMP officers attempted unsuccessfully to stop the vehicle. Sicamous and Salmon Arm RCMP officers stopped the vehicle south of Sicamous; again, the vehicle fled.
At approximately 3:20 a.m., the vehicle was stopped in Malakwa, 20 kilometres northeast of Sicamous. As officers attempted to take the driver into custody, he allegedly resisted and went into medical distress. He was transported to hospital, where he was in critical condition. The IIO can now confirm the male died on Tuesday evening, October 29, 2019. As a result of the death, the BC Coroners Service has been informed and are also investigating.
IIO continues to investigate the actions of the police and again asks that anyone who witnessed this incident to please contact the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477.
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.