A West Shore RCMP officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing after being involved in a collision with a cyclist in Langford last month.
The Independent Investigations Office BC (IIO) was called in to investigate the incident that occurred around 2:55 p.m. in the 2500 block of Millstream Road on March 19th.
The officer, who was off-duty at the time, was driving southbound in an unmarked police vehicle when a male cyclist exiting a steep, downward-sloped driveway collided with the police vehicle.
The cyclist fell off his bicycle and sustained injuries as a result of the collision. The officer called for an ambulance, and both the officer and a bystander provided assistance while waiting for medical help to arrive.
Related: IIO investigating West Shore RCMP officer who collided with a cyclist in an unmarked police cruiser
According to the IIO, analysis of the scene revealed that the view of Millstream Road from the driveway was restricted due to high rock outcroppings on either side.
Evidence indicated that the cyclist crossed the sidewalk and one traffic lane before colliding with the driver’s side door of the police vehicle.
The steep sides of the driveway also obstructed the officer’s view of the cyclist, making the collision difficult, if not impossible, to avoid.
After reviewing the evidence, including a civilian witness statement and scene analysis, the IIO Chief Civilian Director concluded that there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed an offence.
The IIO deemed the incident an unfortunate accident and has since closed the investigation.
