Police watchdog looking into Salmon Arm incident that left woman critically injured

A woman was critically injured following a call to Mounties in Salmon Arm, and now the police watchdog has been called in to see if the RCMP contributed to the situation. 

According to a BC RCMP media release, they notified the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. of an April 22 incident involving an officer from the Salmon Arm detachment. Just after 4:30 p.m. that day, Mounties were called to a report of a possible domestic disturbance at a residence in the 700 block of Abbington Lane in Salmon Arm.

"A second caller reported a blue Pontiac Vibe may have been associated (with) the disturbance. While en route to the scene, responding officers observed a blue Pontiac Vibe traveling at a high-rate of speed in the opposite direction along Highway 1," Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said in the release.

"The responding officers stopped, changed direction and some time later they located the Vibe, east of Sandy Point Road, where it had been involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle."

The driver of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries, while the driver of the Vibe, a woman, suffered critical injuries. She was transported to a local area hospital by BC Emergency Health Services, where she remains.

IIO BC is investigating to determine whether police actions are linked to the woman’s injury.

"As the matter is now under investigation by the IIO BC, no further information will be released by police," Shoihet said.

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