Kelowna RCMP officers’ actions played no role in man’s death: police watchdog

The man who crashed his burning vehicle onto a golf course in Kelowna yesterday died from a very serious medical condition overnight.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. says it concluded it’s investigation into the incident and has determined police action or inaction did not play a role in his death.

RCMP received a number of complaints yesterday just after 4 p.m. yesterday, Feb. 10, about a suspected drunk driver on Tower Ranch Boulevard.

After crashing into the median and hitting the ditch, the vehicle caught fire but still kept going. It crashed through a fence before finally stopping on a golf course.

Officer tried to get the driver out of the vehicle, which was still smoking, but he resisted arrest before being taken into custody.

RCMP say the driver was not impaired, but was having a medical emergency and was taken to hospital where he died overnight.

The IIO’s chief civilian director reviewed the medical information and has concluded the driver’s medical condition was the likely cause of the collision and behaviour, and police actions of inactions did not play role in his death, according to a media release.

“The man sustained some other minor injuries which could have been caused either by the collision or when removed from the vehicle by police, but none meet the threshold of serious harm as defined by the Police Act,” the release reads.

The IIO investigation has been concluded without a public report.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander or call 250-309-5343 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.