Vancouver Cop Drama

[PRC]

This is making the news in Vancouver lately.  This cop was involved in the tasering of that Polish guy at Vancouver International resulting in the Polish guys death.  Then he was in a vehicular accident in which he struck and killed a motorcyclist.  He identified himself at the accident then left, went home, had 2 shots of vodka, then returned to the crash scene where the guy he hit had died.  He had been drinking earlier in the day before the accident as well but has not been charged with DUI but a lesser charge of obstruction of justice.  Interesting case, I was listening to CKNW 980 over the past week and there were plenty of calls for this guys head.

Article

Mountie Monty Robinson left crash scene then drank alcohol as Orion Hutchinson lay dying

Robinson most senior of four RCMP officers involved in Tasering death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport in 2007

By Katie Mercer, The Province December 3, 2009

While Orion Hutchinson lay dying, Monty Robinson raced home and had two stiff drinks, but that's not enough to penalize him with a stronger charge.

Simon Fraser University criminologist David MacAlister raised questions Wednesday as to why Cpl. Benjamin "Monty" Robinson was not charged under Sec. 252 of the criminal code — failure to stop at the scene of an accident causing death.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison — the same as impaired driving causing death.

"It sounded like this charge seems to most closely fit the facts of the case," MacAlister said.

"He did stop and give his driver's license but the section also requires you to provide assistance and based on what I've heard, there isn't any indication he did that."

Delta police recommended charges of impaired driving causing death be laid against Cpl. Benjamin "Monty" Robinson for the death of Orion Hutchinson, 21.

However, the attorney-general's office charged the Mountie Tuesday with the lesser charge of obstruction of justice for his alleged actions after the collision, citing lack of evidence.

The obstruction charge, which carries no minimum sentence, has a maximum of 10 years.

Neil MacKenzie, Criminal Justice Branch spokesman, said there was not enough evidence to support impaired-driving charges nor failure to stop at the scene of an accident.

"That was among the charges that the branch considered . . . it did not meet our charge assessment standard," Mackenzie said, declining to elaborate further.

Under Sec. 252 of the criminal code, a failure to stop includes an accident where the driver fails to stop to escape civil or criminal liability, or provide his name and address, as well as where a person has been injured and appears to require assistance and none is offered.

While the Crown is not commenting on the case as it is before the courts, MacAlister pondered whether the obstruction of justice charge stems from Robinson's knowledge of the law.

"By virtue of the fact that he knew the law and he knew what the police had to do to put a case together, for him to make the decision to go home have a couple drinks, he may have known that could interfere with their ability to get a breathalyzer test," MacAlister said.

"I think it's that conduct he engaged in after the accident that constituted the obstruction.

"It's a very serious incident and it calls into question his integrity and how honesty and forthright he is."

On Oct. 25, 2008, Robinson's Jeep crashed into Hutchinson's motorcycle at a Tsawwassen intersection. Robinson, who was off-duty at the time, identified himself to witnesses, then left the scene with his two kids, without checking on the dying Hutchinson.

In March, in a bid to have his driving ban overturned, Robinson told a B.C. Supreme Court that he had two shots of vodka at home before returning to the scene of the accident, where he then failed a breathalyzer test.

The court rejected his version of events.

Robinson is the most senior of four Mounties involved in the Tasering death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport in 2007. The Crown has decided not to lay any charges.

Robinson is scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on Dec. 8.

[Neil]

Orion?  Really?

[KRonn]

Wow, this is quite the tragic mess.   

[Gambrinus]

Mounties 

[CountDeMoney]

Some cops have a problem with alcoholism.  Shocking.  Film at 11.

[Razgovory]

If they still rode horses he wouldn't have had this problem.

[Gambrinus]

IIRC there were more traffic casualties per person/km when people travelled by horse and carriage.

[Neil]

IIRC there were more traffic casualties per person/km when people travelled by horse and carriage.

Indeed.  Carriage accidents were moderately horrific.

[MadImmortalMan]

Wasn't there a US politician who did something siliar to this not to long ago? Weird.

[Eddie Teach]

IIRC there were more traffic casualties per person/km when people travelled by horse and carriage.

More pedestrians, less stable vehicles, I can definitely believe that.

[Barrister]

Wasn't there a US politician who did something siliar to this not to long ago? Weird.

Well there was the premier of BC who was arrested in Hawaii for drunk driving...

And yeah, a little surprised he wasn't charged under s. 252, but I don't have all the facts.

[Jacob]

Seems like the Mounties would be better off without Monty.

[Neil]

Seems like the Mounties would be better off without Monty.

Not necessarily.  Remember, this is a guy who defended Canada from a Martinus incursion.

[Eddie Teach]

Seems like the Mounties would be better off without Monty.

Not necessarily.  Remember, this is a guy who defended Canada from a Martinus incursion.

Was the Polish dude gay?

[Neil]

Seems like the Mounties would be better off without Monty.

Not necessarily.  Remember, this is a guy who defended Canada from a Martinus incursion.

Was the Polish dude gay?

Hard to say.  He was definitely high strung.