Edmonton police officers acted lawfully in the arrest of a woman following a high-speed truck crash and subsequent foot chase on July 26, 2021, according to a report released Wednesday, by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team. The report found no evidence that the use of a conducted energy weapon (CEW) contributed to the woman’s later medical issues or death.The incident began in the early hours of July 26, when an Edmonton officer attempted to stop a 2004 Chevrolet pickup traveling in the wrong lane. Witnesses at a nearby gas station suggested the driver may have been impaired. The driver ignored emergency lights and sirens, made a U-turn, ran a red light, and eventually crashed the truck while carrying two passengers. The vehicle was uninsured, the driver was suspended, and investigators later found alcohol, drugs, paraphernalia, and firearms in the truck.After the crash, the driver fled on foot. The officer, believing the driver posed a risk to public safety and that the truck may have been stolen, deployed a CEW twice within 19 seconds to gain compliance. .Another officer arrived shortly after and helped physically restrain the woman. Emergency Medical Services treated the driver at the scene and transported her to hospital. She left the hospital on July 28 but returned on Aug. 4 for unrelated medical issues and died on Aug. 5. The Medical Examiner confirmed her death was unrelated to the police encounter.ASIRT’s investigation reviewed CCTV footage of the crash, officer notes, CEW reports, autopsy results, and multiple witness interviews. The team concluded the officer had reasonable grounds to pursue and arrest the driver, acted proportionately in deploying the CEW, and followed legal standards under s. 25 of the Criminal Code, which allows officers to use necessary and reasonable force.The driver faced charges including impaired driving, flight from police, resisting arrest, and possession of a controlled substance. ASIRT’s report emphasizes that while the chase preceded the crash, the officer’s response to the unfolding events was lawful and justified given the risks and limited situational knowledge at the time.
