Calgary police officer charged in 2008 crash

A 15-year veteran of the Calgary Police Service has been charged in connection witha vehicle collision that seriously injured a motorist nearly two years ago.

Sgt. Tony Braile was charged Wednesday with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team announced at a news conference.

"It was the manner in which he was operating the motor vehicle at the time of the incident, which was a marked patrol vehicle," said ASIRT executive director Clif Purvis.

Purvis said that in the earlyhours of Dec. 15, 2008, police beganpursuing a vehicle believed to have been stolen.

Braile is alleged to have trailed the vehicle for nearly an hour, ignoring several police policies and procedures, saidDeputy Chief Trevor Daroux.

"The incident concluded with a motor vehicle collision that resulted in member of the public being injured. As result, a service investigation was initiated," Daroux said.

A 46-year-old male motorist was seriously injured in the crash at Fifth Street and Fifth Avenue S.W., which didn't directly involve any police cruisers. Braile was suspended from duty with pay four months ago, Daroux said.

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Purvis fielded questions about why it took so long for the investigation to be completed.

"I acknowledge freely this took a long time, but on the other hand I am confident to say it was done thoroughly," he said.

"We won't sacrifice a thorough independent investigation for the sake of expediency.I don't think the public is well served by that and I don't think the police officers or police executive are."

Braile will make his first court appearance next month.

As for any police policies and procedures that were broken, Daroux said an internal police hearing will take place after the criminal proceedings.

ASIRT is the provincial agency that investigates serious cases of death or injury that may have resulted from the actions of a police officer.