Nelson police have been cleared of wrongdoing following the death of a man who drove off an embankment near the city in January.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO), a civilian-led organization that investigates any death or serious harm involving the actions or inactions of a police officer, said in a June 11 statement it had determined the Nelson Police Department and members of the local RCMP detachment were not at fault for failing to find the missing driver.
The unidentified 25-year-old Blewett man died after his car left Highway 3A on the night of Jan. 18. His car was located the next morning at the bottom of a steep embankment on the outskirts of Nelson.
An independent investigation was launched in April after the man's family criticized local police response.
The IIO said the vehicle was not visible from the highway, where the terrain is treed and contains large boulders.
"The delegate of the chief civilian director has reviewed the evidence collected by IIO investigators – including medical evidence, witness statements, cell phone records, and police reports – and determined there was no connection between police action or inaction and the man’s death.
"Reasonable search efforts were undertaken by members of the Central Kootenay RCMP and the Nelson Police Department to attempt to locate the man when he was reported missing."
