Motorbike crash not the fault of Campbell River RCMP, IIO reports

Campbell River RCMP are not to blame for a man’s serious but non-life-threatening injury after he drove away from them on a motorbike, says B.C.’s civilianled police-oversight agency.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which probes police-related incidents involving death or serious injury, concluded that the crash occurred because a blanket dragging from the motorbike wrapped around its rear wheel.

Video, a statement from the injured man and examination of the scene all contributed to the decision, the IIO said.

The IIO said that the incident began when police responded about 1:05 a.m. on Feb. 11 to a report of an armed man in the driveway of a home on Reef Crescent.

The man was inside when police arrived, and they tried unsuccessfully to contact him by phone and by using a loud hailer.

At that point, assistance was requested from the Emergency Response Team.

About 1:50 a.m., the man opened the garage door and began driving away on the motorbike. He headed south and drove over a spike belt police had put on the road, but was able to continue.

Soon after, he was found on the ground next to the motorbike.

Medical assistance was provided and he was taken to hospital.

A subsequent examination determined that the blanket, not the spike belt, caused the crash, the IIO said. It concluded that there are “no reasonable grounds” to believe any officer committed an offence.

“The man’s injury was the result of crashing his bike and police actions did not contribute to the crash,” the IIO said.