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Police action played no part in death of Hwy. 3 cyclist: Report

A cyclist was hit by an erratic driver before police could conduct a traffic stop on July 12
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File photo

Police action played no part in a Hwy. 3 incident that saw a cyclist killed, according to an Independent Investigations Office (IIO) finding.

Police were attempting to conduct a traffic stop of a grey Chevrolet truck along Hwy. 3 near the Fernie Alpine Resort late on July 12, after reports that driver had nearly hit several pedestrians in the Kikkomun Creek Park area.

An officer had located the suspect vehicle, but before a stop could be conducted, the driver hit a male cyclist, who later died in hospital of his injuries. The lone driver was arrested on the scene for impaired driving.

According to the IIO findings, video footage of the incident, and civilian witness accounts corroborated the police report.

“The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence – including civilian witness statements, video footage, and police information – and determined that police action did not play a role in the cyclist’s tragic death,” reads the IIO report.

“The driver of the Chevrolet reported being unaware of the police vehicle behind him, so their presence did not influence his driving behaviour.”

The cyclist received first aid from the responding officer on the scene, before being transported to the Elk Valley Hospital . They were then airlifted to Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where they later died of their injuries. The IIO opened an investigation into the incident immediately after it was reported to them by the Elk Valley RCMP.

READ MORE: Cyclist sustains severe injuries after being hit by erratic driver on Hwy. 3



scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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