By Sheldon Spackman

June 2020 Incident

ASIRT report indicates no offence committed by Red Deer Mountie during arrest of suspect hit by officer’s vehicle

Jun 28, 2024 | 3:20 PM

An investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) regarding an injury to a suspect during his arrest by Red Deer RCMP four years ago has concluded no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed.

The report from ASIRT assistant executive director Matthew Block, finds that on June 4, 2020, the suspect was driving dangerously in Red Deer and eventually drove into a park to evade police and in a manner that risked the lives of park users.

ASIRT’s investigation further indicates that when the suspect’s vehicle finally stopped, they began to run and were struck by the pursuing officer. The report further states there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the pursuing officer intended to hit the suspect with his vehicle, noting the officer had less than two seconds to react to the suspect fleeing his vehicle.

According to ASIRT’s investigation, it was on June 4, 2020, when a Red Deer RCMP officer attempted to stop a white Lexus GS300 in Red Deer for improper window tint at approximately 1 p.m. The suspect who was driving the Lexus and was prohibited from driving at that time, did not stop, however, and instead drove off at high speed.

The first officer did not pursue the suspect but passed along the vehicle description to other officers. Over the next 40 minutes, officers attempted to stop the suspect, with the suspect leaving and re-entering Red Deer. At one point, a spike belt was used successfully and one of the Lexus’ rear tires was deflated. The report says the suspect continued to not stop for police and drove dangerously inside the city.

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At approximately 1:50 p.m., the subject officer, along with a K9, began following the suspect. The suspect, however, continued from the residential area and into the McKenzie Trails park area, with the suspect continuing to drive very fast and dangerously. When the suspect reached a dead end on a road, he drove through the trees onto another adjacent roadway. The subject officer continued to closely follow the suspect to attempt intentional vehicle contact and stop the suspect.

The report says the suspect then accelerated again and went off the road and into the grass briefly. He was unable to make the next turn and hit rocks along the outside of the turn. He continued off the road into light trees and passed over a pedestrian walkway with the subject officer following. He then hit a log, stopped, and immediately got out of the vehicle before running away. The subject officer continued forward, turned slightly to the left, and hit the suspect on the front passenger side.

The ASIRT report indicates that the time from the suspect’s first foot being on the ground to the officer striking the suspect was approximately 1.5 seconds. The suspect then ran away, with the subject officer and his K9 in pursuit. The dog caught up to the suspect first and bit the suspect’s clothing. The suspect and the dog went into the river.

A second officer then caught up to them and saw that the suspect was in fast-flowing deep water, so the second officer jumped into the river and brought the suspect out. The suspect was then arrested.

Emergency medical services paramedics treated the suspect and according to their medical records, the suspect told them that he had broken his ankles when he was running from police and stepped in a hole.

ASIRT investigators interviewed the suspect on October 15, 2020, and he stated that, when the subject officer hit him, he flew six feet into the air and his ankles were broken from the collision.

ASIRT investigators interviewed the subject officer on September 9, 2020, and the officer provided a full account of the incident. The officer, just prior to the suspect stopping, was trying to get into position to intentionally contact the suspect’s vehicle and stop him. When the suspect stopped, he intended to contact the vehicle and prevent the suspect from moving further. The suspect exited the vehicle though and the officer unintentionally contacted the suspect.

According to ASIRT’s report, the suspect’s evidence was embellished as he did not fly six feet into the air, and his claim that his broken ankles were caused by the collision are contradicted by him telling paramedics that he broke them stepping in a hole.

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