IIO called in after person found in ‘medical distress’ in Vancouver jail

Investigators from B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office are seen in this file photo from the IIO.

B.C.’s police watchdog has been called in after a person who was being held in Vancouver police custody went into medical distress Friday.

According to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., police were called to the scene of a crash on Georgia Street where a black Tesla had collided with a parked vehicle.

“The passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the driver was taken into police custody, placed in a police wagon and driven to the (Vancouver Police Department) jail,” Monday’s statement from the IIO said.

“Upon arrival, the driver was found to be in medical distress, and aid was provided until Emergency Health Services arrived and took them to a hospital.”

The first stage of the investigation will be to determine if the person suffered serious injury, as it is defined in B.C.’s Police Act. If that threshold is met, the IIO will probe whether there was a connection between police action or inaction and the injury, the statement from the agency said.

The IIO is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has video that may assist the investigation to call 1-855-446-8477.