Cops found not to blame for suspects falling ill

Man and woman went into ‘distress’ after their arrest in stolen pickup truck

Drugs, as opposed to police actions, caused the medical distress of two people caught driving a stolen truck last month, the provincial police watchdog has found.

On Sept. 26, West Kelowna Mounties attended an area near Lambly Lake for a report of suspicious activity. The complainant reported several people appeared to be working on vehicles.

Police found two of the licence plates associated with the vehicles were stolen.

A man and a woman were seen attempting to flee the area in a stolen pickup truck.

Officers deployed a spike belt and, with the assistance of a police dog, both suspects were arrested and taken to the Kelowna detachment.

The 24-year-old woman and the 32-year-old man both became unresponsive and were in medical distress shortly after arriving at the station around 10 a.m., police said.

Officers administered medical assistance, and emergency health services also attended.

The man and woman were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. deployed investigators to determine whether police actions or inactions were linked to the medical distress of the two.

The agency, which investigates all officer-related incidents resulting in serious harm or death, concluded its investigation this week.

“The investigation determined that the two individuals will make a complete recovery from their medical issues,” the IIOBC said in a news release.

Investigators found the medical issues were caused by substances ingested by the people and unrelated to the actions of the officers involved.

The officers took appropriate steps in providing medical assistance when the people showed signs of distress, the agency said.