Police 'acted appropriately' during chase that ended in fatal crash, finds IIU
Police travelled faster than speed limit but actions were justified, says IIU civilian director
Winnipeg police officers acted appropriately during a high-speed chase that ended in a fatal crash on Portage Avenue last November, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has found.
Brandi Manningway, 27, died in a single-vehicle crash after losing control of the SUV, a green Ford Explorer, while fleeing police in the early hours of Nov. 23, 2015.
In the lead up to the crash, theSUV was pursued by police because it was allegedly involved in two armed robberies earlier that day, found the IIU.
Two 7-Eleven stores, one onDale Boulevard and another on Portage Avenue, reported armed robberies with suspects fleeing in the same2004 green Ford Explorer.
During the chase the SUVManningwaywas driving reachedspeeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, police told the IIU.
"Officers temporarily lost sight of the Explorer but located it less than a minute later, after it had crashed at Portage Avenue and Good Street," said the IIU in a written statement.
Manningway was found outside the vehicle and transported to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The other occupant of the vehicle, a 30-year-old man, was found a short time later on foot.
IIU civilian director Zane Tessler received a pathologist report and determinedManningway was intoxicated by cocaine and methamphetamine at the time of the crash.
After reviewing video surveillance and eye witnessed reports, Tessler concluded that although police were travelling faster than the posted speed limit, their actions were "justified and appropriate for the circumstances," the IIU said.
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