The Independent Investigation Office (IIO) of BC has concluded an investigation regarding a Williams Lake officer.
At around 10:40pm on November 13th, 2022, a person was arrested for theft under $5,000 and breach of probation order, and was placed in an RCMP cell shortly after.
In a report from the IIO, the person had appeared unsteady on his feet, confused, which the arresting officers felt was due to intoxication or under the influence of drugs.
Fast forward to November 14th, just after 9:30am, the person began vomiting and continued intermittently through November 15th.
Shortly after 7:37 on the 15th, a guard noticed the person “struggling to breath” an ambulance was called, where the person suffered a seizure in the hospital the next morning.
The IIO obtained an expert medical opinion from an experienced emergency room physician for their investigation, to determine whether there were grounds to conclude that the delay in getting medical aid may have caused his health to be endangered permanently or may have endangered his life.
The physician stated that the time the person was transported was medically optimal, noting that if it was earlier, medical personnel could have discharged him from the emergency room.
This helped the conclusion in the IIO’s investigation with the Chief Civilian Director stating that he does not consider there to be reasonable grounds that an officer may have committed an offence.
He added that the matter will not be referred to Crown counsel for consideration of charges.
The full report and more information about the investigation can be found here.
Something going on in the Cariboo you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
