Man shot in head by police after running over elderly couple no longer faces charges

The Calgary man who was shot in the headby an officer after he allegedly drove into an elderly couple while fleeing police no longer faces charges.

Jason Harron was blinded after he was shot in May 2013. On Thursday, the Crown prosecutor's office stayed all charges against the 40-year-old because his case took too long to get to trial.

"This has been a very long ordeal for Mr. Harron," said defence lawyers AndreaUrquhartandToniiRoulston in a statement."While he is relievedabout this outcome he was looking forward to his day in court."

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Harron had faced charges of hit and run causing bodily harm, criminal negligence causing bodily harm, flight from police causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

Police who were called to the parking lot of the Crowfoot Shopping Centre in May 2013 shot Jason Harron after he allegedly took off when officers approached his vehicle. Harron was accused of hitting a police car beforedrivingonto the sidewalk and into an elderly couple.

The 78-year old woman struck by the vehicle broke her elbow and hip. The elderly man escaped with minor injuries.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigated the officer's actions and found he was justified in shooting Harron.

"[The officer's actions] resulted in him being permanently blinded which has had adevastating impact on his life- something he lives with and struggleswith everyday," said Urquhart and Roulston.

A recent Supreme Court ruling, called the Jordan decision, imposed hard timelineson how long a person has to wait for their case to get to trial.

Alberta's prosecution service is triaging an estimated 400 cases that are at risk of exceeding those limits.