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Photo Courtesy ASIRT (Image Credit: Photo Courtesy ASIRT)
By Tanner Smith
ASIRT

Investigation closed on Valleyview RCMP incident dating back to 2023

Aug 20, 2026 | 6:00 AM

ASIRT has concluded an investigation into an incident involving Valleyview RCMP dating back to Oct. 29th, 2023, and has decided not to lay charges against the responding officer.

According to their report, RCMP received a call from a driver saying another vehicle “travelling at a high speed, cut him off, and an occupant had thrown rocks at his windshield,” while travelling from Grande Prairie to Valleyview.

A description of the vehicle was provided and led to it being located later in the day. A chase then ensued when the officer attempted to pull them over, but they fled until the vehicle became disabled on a dirt road, leading to the officer initiating another high-risk traffic stop.

During the stop, the officer had his gun drawn and deployed pepper spray when the driver refused to exit the vehicle.

The officer then tried to physically remove the suspect from the vehicle and was “observed quickly retracting his firearm while stating, ‘Don’t grab my gun — if you grab my gun again, I will shoot you.”

Eventually, the suspect was removed from the car and was brought to the ground after refusing to comply; “A struggle followed, during which the SO (officer) appeared to strike the AP (suspect). At one point, the SO disengaged briefly, appeared to wipe his eye, and broadcast over the police radio that the AP was assaulting him before re-engaging.”

ASIRT’s report says the officer “stomped his foot down” near the suspect’s head or neck, and engaged with a second suspect in the vehicle before another officer arrived to assist.

As a result of the altercation, the suspect was treated for lacerations on their face and a possible broken nose by EMS, but never followed up on a CT scan to locate structural damage.

During an interview with ASIRT, the other passenger said the suspect driver took over when they came across a semi without taillights swerving across the road, but denied throwing rocks.

The passenger added that she then asked the suspect to take over driving, even though she was aware they did not possess a full driver’s license, which was why they fled from police.

She also noted that she did not notice any erratic driving, as she was “focused on her cat,” who was in the vehicle.

ASIRT’s full report can be viewed by clicking the link.

by Tanner Smith