COLD LAKE – An Alberta RCMP officer has been charged with dangerous operation causing bodily harm following a head-on collision between a marked police vehicle and a van in Cold Lake First Nations last summer.
On Aug. 21, an officer of the Cold Lake RCMP detachment was on route to a complaint at 7:06 p.m., when they collided head-on with a civilian’s vehicle on Range Road 430 near Highway 28 on Cold Lake First Nation, according to a press release from RCMP.
Cold Lake RCMP and EMS attended the scene.
The adult male driver, the lone occupant of a van, as well as the RCMP officer and lone occupant of the marked police sport utility vehicle, were both taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The Director of Law Enforcement for the Government of Alberta was notified of the collision and had deemed the matter “out of scope” of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).
It was determined that the matter would remain with the Alberta RCMP with ASIRT being notified of the results from the Alberta RCMP statutory investigation.
“A statutory investigation into the collision was completed by the Alberta RCMP’s specially-trained Criminal Collision Investigative Team, along with the assistance of an Alberta RCMP Collision Reconstructionist, in consultation with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service,” note RCMP.
RCMP Const. Victoria Forbes has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm. She is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on March 23.
Forbes has one year of service with the RCMP.
“As a result of her injuries, Forbes has been on administrative duties since her return to work following the collision and will remain on administrative duties as a result of the above noted charge,” state RCMP.
Once the criminal matter is resolved, her duty status will be reviewed, according to RCMP.
As this matter is now before the courts, the Alberta RCMP are unable to provide further information.
