File photo RCMP cruiser

By Vernon Matters Staff

no police offence

Investigation finds no fault by police in fatal Kelowna crash

Mar 25, 2025 | 5:40 PM

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has completed its investigation into a fatal motor vehicle incident in Kelowna last month.

On Feb.27, an unmarked police vehicle was following an uninsured black BMW on Highway 97, which was involved in a collision with two other vehicles – a Mitsubishi SUV and Mazda – leading to the death of a woman.

Investigators found no evidence that police attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the BMW prior to the collision.

They found no reasonable grounds that the officer with the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team committed an offence.

The IIO report said, in part, witnesses stated that the police vehicle was not behind the BMW when the collision occurred, and video from a vehicle near the intersection similarly shows no police vehicles at the time of the collision.

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One of the occupants of the Mitsubishi went into medical distress following the collision and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Sadly, she did not survive. None of the other parties involved sustained serious injuries.

The IIO was notified of the incident shortly after it occurred and began an investigation.

The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence – including statements from civilian witnesses, video footage, and police records – and determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer may have committed an offence. The officers had lawful grounds to follow the BMW for the brief time they did and are not responsible for the BMW’s driving behaviour.