Independent investigators to probe motorcycle collision with police car

CRUISER DID U-TURN IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY

PENTICTON – A collision between an RCMP cruiser and a motorcycle in Osoyoos this past weekend is now under investigation by the province’s Independent Investigations Office.

Spokesperson Kelly Kilpatrick confirmed today, May 12, two investigators were sent to Osoyoos on Monday to begin an investigation into the crash.

Kilpatrick said her office was notified over the weekend about the incident but had to confirm the injuries sustained in the crash met the criteria of 'death or serious harm' under the office's governing legislation. That criteria was confirmed on Monday.

On Saturday, May 9, just before 5 p.m., a marked Osoyoos RCMP cruiser was northbound on Highway 97 north of Osoyoos when it attempted to respond to a dispatch in Osoyoos, police previously reported. While making a U-turn on the highway, the vehicle collided with a northbound Harley Davidson motorcycle in the centre lane.

A 47-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman on the motorcycle suffered injuries as a result of the collision, and were both transported to the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.