IIO clears off-duty Mountie after crash with cyclist in Langford

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC says an off-duty police officer was not at fault after a cyclist collided with their unmarked police vehicle in Langford last month.

The crash occurred shortly before 3 p.m. on March 19 in the 2500-block of Millstream Road.

The IIO says the off-duty Mountie was heading south on the street when a cyclist came down a steep driveway, crossed a sidewalk and a single lane of traffic, and hit the side of their police cruiser.

The cyclist fell off his bike in the crash and was injured. The off-duty officer called an ambulance before attempting to provide assistance, alongside a bystander, until paramedics arrived.

In March, the IIO told CHEK News that the man’s injuries were serious enough to require an ambulance, but they were non-life-threatening.

On Friday, the IIO said it had reviewed the crash site and determined that the driveway has “high rock outcroppings on both sides,” which would have prevented both the cyclist and the driver from seeing each other.

“The chief civilian director has reviewed the evidence – including a statement from a civilian witness, and scene analysis – and determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed an offence,” said the IIO on Friday.

“Based on the evidence, this incident was an unfortunate accident.”

The IIO is an independent civilian oversight agency that reviews all police-related incidents that involve serious harm or death, regardless of if there have been reports of wrongdoing.

The IIO says its investigation into this crash is now over.

SEE ALSO: IIO clears Saanich officers of wrongdoing in 2023 Pat Bay Highway incident

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