Kelowna Mountie facing assault charge

A Kelowna RCMP officer has been charged with assault following the arrest of a suspected impaired driver last May.

In a prepared statement, B.C. Prosecution Service spokesman Dan McLaughlin said Const. Siggy Emmit-Steven Pietrzak was scheduled to appear in Kelowna provincial court on May 3 to face the charge. The incident occurred on May 30, 2020. McLaughlin said the charge was approved by an experienced Crown counsel who had no connection to Emmit-Steven Pietrzak.

This case is connected to a civil claim made in June 2020 by the victim of the alleged assault — Tyler Russell. Russell claims Emmit-Steven Pietrzak used excessive force against him during his arrest and that his charter rights were breached because he wasn't told what he was being arrested for.

The Attorney General of Canada (named in the civil claim as a defendant) responded that the level of force used in the arrest was acceptable and that the officers had “verbally arrested” him for obstruction of justice.