Police watchdog asks Crown to consider charges after violent Williams Lake arrest
Video footage appears to show an officer kicking the suspect during the arrest
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) in B.C. has filed a report asking the Crown to consider charges after the violent arrest of an erratic driver near Williams Lake, B.C., last October.
RCMP received reports of an erratic driver near Kamloops, B.C., on Oct. 25, 2020. After failing to stop for police, the suspect led officers on a high-speed chase that ended after two spike belts were deployed that blew out the suspect's truck tires.
At the time, police say they believed the suspect might have had a loaded handgun — but when he was arrested police learned that was not the case.
The incident was recorded, and showed the suspect being pursued by a police officer. A second officer ran toward the man and appeared to stomp and kick him before aiding in the arrest.
The IIO report says that the injuries the man sustained did not qualify as serious harm as defined by the Police Act but given the significant public scrutiny generated by video of the arrest, it undertook a review.
Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that one of the officers may have committed an offence in relation to the use of force during the arrest.
The B.C. Prosecution Service says it approves charges in cases where there is a reasonable prospect of conviction based on the evidence and where such a prosecution would be in the public interest.
With files from Tom Popyk