Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide and self-harm.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIOBC) to investigate police action surrounding a fatal crash in the Spuzzum area on Thursday morning.
The B.C. RCMP stated that officers were called in at 9 a.m. on July 14, responding to a report of a man in crisis. The man reportedly told a loved one he intended to harm himself by driving off a bridge.
An officer located the man driving on Highway 1 near Hell’s Gate. The man did not stop, driving over an embankment and going over a significant drop. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Lower Mainland RCMP Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstructionist Service (ICARS) and IIOBC are investigating. The IIO is specifically investigating whether or not police actions contributed to the man’s death.
As of publication, Highway 1 remains closed in both directions near Hell’s Gate as the investigation is ongoing.
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