Charges possible for VPD officer after following cyclist who fell off bike

A Vancouver Police officer who followed a cyclist who subsequently fell off his bike and was badly hurt could potentially face charges in connection with the incident, according to the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIOBC).

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In a release, the IIOBC said the incident itself happened on September 18 of last year, around 2 am, when a police officer in an unmarked vehicle followed a male suspect who was riding a bike on Hamilton Street.

At some point during the interaction, the man “suffered serious injuries when he fell from his bike,” the release said.

An investigative review of the incident was launched and now, with the review finished, IIOBC said it will be forwarding a report to the BC Prosecution Service “for consideration of charges.”

The release noted that in approving the charges, the BC Prosecution Service “must be satisfied there is a substantial likelihood of conviction based on the evidence gathered by the IIO and that the prosecution is in the public interest.”

As the matter is currently with the Crown, the IIOBCsaid it will not be making any additional comment about the case at this time.

The IIOBC is a civilian-led police oversight agency responsible for conducting investigations into incidents of death or serious harm that may have been the result of the actions of a police officer, whether on or off duty.