Vancouver police officer whose car collided with pedestrian in Downtown Eastside could face charges

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. has determineda police officer who hit a pedestrian while driving a police vehicle last fall could face charges.

In the early hours of Sept.20, 2022, a Vancouver officer driving a marked police vehicle driving eastbound on East Hastings Street hit a man standing in the road between Columbia and Main streets.

The man sustained serious injuries in the collision, which was captured on video from multiple angles.

Following an investigation, Ronald J. MacDonald, chief civilian officer of the IIO, found that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that one officer may have committed driving offences."

The IIO has now filed a report with the B.C. Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.

"In order to approve any charges, the B.C. Prosecution Service must be satisfied that there is a substantial likelihood of conviction based on the evidence gathered by the IIOand that prosecution be required in the public interest," read a statement from the IIO, in part.

The incident sparked anger and frustration from organizations and residents of the Downtown Eastside community at the time, prompting calls for the officer involved to face consequences.