B.C. police watchdog investigating Vancouver crash that sent man to hospital

Investigators from B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office are seen in this file photo from the IIO.

British Columbia’s police oversight agency is investigating the actions of the Vancouver Police Department following a single-vehicle crash that sent one man to hospital over the weekend.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. says Vancouver police were called on Sunday about a Grey Toyota Echo that had been reported stolen from East Broadway, between Ontario and Quebec streets.

Officers located the car around 4:30 p.m. that day, just before the car reportedly crashed in the 8100 block of Matheson Crescent, near the intersection of Southeast Marine Drive and Boundary Road.

The driver was arrested at the scene and was taken to hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.

The police oversight agency was notified about the incident and has since opened an investigation into the officers’ conduct.

The IIO investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious harm or death in B.C., whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing by police.

The agency is working to determine whether the driver’s injuries meet the definition of “serious harm,” and whether there is any connection between the injuries and police actions or inactions.

“If both conditions are met, the investigation will continue to examine all available evidence to determine what occurred,” the IIO said in a statement Wednesday.

“At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief civilian director will also consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred.”

Under the provincial Police Act, “serious harm” is defined as an injury that may result in death, disfigurement or loss of function of a limb or organ.

The police watchdog is asking anyone who witnessed or recorded video of the incident to contact investigators at 1-855-446-8477 or iiobc.ca.