THE Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC said on Monday that it is investigating the death of one man in Maple Ridge.
Information provided by the RCMP states that at about 7 p.m. on September 19, police responded to a report of a GMC Sierra pickup truck being driven erratically in the area of Lougheed Highway and Old Dewdney Trunk Road in Pitt Meadows.
The Sierra was stopped by police, and the man driving the vehicle was arrested and transported to Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment cells.
At about 11:45 p.m., the man was found to be in medical distress, and Emergency Health Services were called. Despite life-saving measures, the man was subsequently pronounced deceased.
The IIO said it was notified of the death shortly after it occurred and commenced an investigation. Initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the details of the arrest, medical event, and death to determine if there are reasonable grounds to believe that any officer may have committed an offence.
The IIO is asking any person with video footage or relevant information about the incident to please contact the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
