No charges for Winnipeg officer who hit cyclist with cruiser: police watchdog
By Google News Investigations ·
A Winnipeg police officer will not be charged after he hit and injured a cyclist with his cruiser, Manitoba's police watchdog agency says.
On Aug. 7, officers responding to a call about a stolen vehicle were driving westbound on Portage Avenue in a police cruiser, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said in a report released Friday.
When they approached the intersection at Garry Street, a cyclist heading northbound on Garry went through the red light.
The officer driving the cruiser tried to stop but there was not enough time, he told investigators, and the cruiser struck the cyclist, causing her to go over the hood and fall off to the side.
The police vehicle didn't have its emergency lights on and was going approximately 32 km/h at the time of the collision, according to GPS data reviewed by the investigative unit.
The officers provided first aid until paramedics arrived. The cyclist was taken to hospital, where she was treated for a fractured clavicle and extensive bruising, the report said.
The cyclist told investigators she had misjudged the length of the light and entered the intersection on a red.
CCTV footage also confirmed the cyclist tried to cross the intersection while the bike control signal was red.
"All the evidence suggests the incident was an accident," the IIU wrote, noting the investigation is now closed.
Originally published by Google News Investigations
