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The RCMP officer who struck and killed a 31-year-old man with a police vehicle near Buffalo Narrows last year will not face charges, according to a watchdog organization’s report.
The report by Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) said the man was lying in the highway and wearing black clothing when he was struck by the Mountie’s vehicle, and there are no grounds to believe a crime was committed by any police officer during the incident.
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At around 3 a.m. on August 29, 2024, two RCMP officers were travelling in separate vehicles to a call in Buffalo Narrows after attending to a prior call in Turnor Lake.
The officers travelled southbound on Highway 909 through what the report described as “foggy conditions.”
One of the RCMP vehicles struck a 31-year old man from Clearwater River Dene Nation. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
“At the time when the affected person was struck on the highway the (officer) was responding to an unrelated call where an individual had already been struck by a vehicle,” the report said.
“That call required an urgent response and unquestionably justified the use of emergency equipment and speeds that exceeded the posted speed limit.”
SIRT’s investigation involved interviews with witnesses, including police officers, and reviewing relevant evidence.
Additionally, a collision reconstruction expert examined the police vehicle and the scene to confirm the man’s placement on the highway, footprints and walking route.
Environment Canada’s weather data and video footage also was used to confirm the road’s visibility at the time of the accident.
According to the report’s analysis “the (officer) demonstrated awareness of the challenges posed by the reduced visibility at the time of the incident, and responsiveness to those conditions by varying police speeds as appropriate.”
“The affected person’s presence on the highway, lying in the lane of travel while dressed in black, presented an unforeseen event that resulted in an unavoidable and tragic collision,” the report read.
Because the investigation determined that there are no grounds for a Criminal Code charge, SIRT said it concluded the matter without a referral to the province’s attorney general.
