Police watchdog investigating Victoria crash that injured driver, passenger

A Victoria police van in an undated photo from the Victoria Police Department. (Handout)

British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating after two people were injured in a car crash following an attempted police traffic stop in Victoria.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. says it was contacted by the Victoria Police Department shortly after the crash, which occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of Bay Street and Esquimalt Road.

The department told the police oversight agency that its officers had tried to stop a black sedan that was driving on the wrong side of the road, according to a statement from the IIO.

Victoria police said in a social media post that the officers activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle.

“The vehicle failed to stop,” the police statement said. “Officers were in the process of deactivating the vehicle emergency equipment when the suspect vehicle crashed around the corner.”

Witnesses, video sought

Victoria police said the driver and passenger sustained “minor injuries” in the crash.

The police watchdog says its first task in the investigation will be to determine whether the injuries constitute “serious harm,” as described in the B.C. Police Act.

According to the legislation, serious harm is defined as an injury that may cause death, serious disfigurement, or the loss or impaired mobility of the body as a whole or of the function of any limb or organ.

The police oversight agency is now asking witnesses or those with video evidence from the incident to call the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or contact the agency via the iiobc.ca website.

“If serious harm is established, further investigation will examine whether the officer’s actions during the arrest were necessary, reasonable, and proportionate in the circumstances,” the IIO said.

The agency investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious harm or death in B.C., whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing by police.