Police watchdog investigating fatal crash in Chilliwack

The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) says it is investigating a fatal crash that took place in Chilliwack on Boxing Day.

The Chilliwack RCMP was called to the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a white Ford pickup truck near the intersection of Yale and Banford roads shortly after 10 p.m.

The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead.

“The RCMP reported no police involvement with the pickup truck prior to the collision, and the IIO was not notified at the time,” IIO said Jan. 2.

“As a result of information received from the public on Dec. 29, the IIO is now investigating the incident and the circumstances that led up to the collision.”

Last week, Mounties said the driver, a 27-year-old man, was the only occupant inside the vehicle when he lost control and hit a power pole. At the time, police said that alcohol was not believed to be a factor but that speed may have contributed.

The IIO is the civilian oversight agency for police and detention guards in B.C. It is called in to investigate after any police-related incidents that result in death or serious injury, whether or not there are any allegations of wrongdoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the IIO Witness Line at 1-855-446-8477 or use the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.