IIO B.C. recommends charges after Abbotsford police crash

Police Officer May Have Committed Driving Offences in Abbotsford Collision

The province’s police watchdog states that an officer may have committed driving-related offences when an unmarked police vehicle collided with a civilian vehicle in Abbotsford, B.C., in February 2025.

The incident occurred on Feb. 19, around 4 p.m. PT, near the intersection of King and Gladwin roads. At that time, the Abbotsford Police Department reported that a police vehicle carrying two officers collided with a civilian vehicle that had one occupant.

The civilian driver was taken to the hospital by air ambulance with serious injuries. The two officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital by ground ambulance.

The police force indicated that impairment was being considered as a factor in the collision. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) noted that police were engaged in an unrelated investigation when the collision occurred.

The IIO is a civilian-led oversight body that investigates all police-involved incidents resulting in serious harm or death, regardless of allegations of wrongdoing. At the time of the collision, the IIO confirmed that the officers were working on an unrelated investigation.

On Friday, the IIO announced that a review of the evidence found reasonable grounds to believe that an officer may have committed driving-related offences. The investigations office has sent a report to the B.C. Prosecution Service (BCPS) for consideration of charges under the Motor Vehicle Act.

It is now up to the prosecution service to review the recommended charges, which the IIO has not specified, and decide whether to approve them.

The BCPS uses a two-part formula to make decisions. They assess whether there is a substantial likelihood of conviction based on the evidence gathered and whether pursuing prosecution is in the public interest.