An investigation is underway after a Victoria Police officer hit a cyclist with a police cruiser door in Esquimalt Thursday morning.
Around 9:15 Thursday morning, an officer was responding to a call in the 900-block of Esquimalt Road. The officer parked, then opened the driver’s side door into the path of a cyclist, who ran into the door.
In B.C., dooring, which is when a driver or passenger opens a vehicle door into the path of a cyclist, resulting in the cyclist hitting the door or needing to swerve out of the way, faces a fine of $368, but VicPD spokesperson Bowen Osoko says because this incident involves an officer, it hasn’t been determined if this incident was dooring, thus a ticket has not been issued.
“Because the collision involves a police officer & thus requires additional oversight, including potential OPCC review, the Traffic investigation may take longer than one into a similar collision that did not involve a police officer,” Osoko said in an email to CHEK News.
The cyclist has non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital by ambulance, according to VicPD.
After the cyclist hit the police vehicle’s door, the officer provided medical aid and called for paramedics, additional officers and a supervisor.
VicPD traffic officers attended and documented the scene and are continuing the investigation with oversight from VicPD’s Professional Standards Section.
The incident has been reported to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, which is the case any time an officer injures someone, according to VicPD.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.
CHEK News
