Woodstock suspect’s hospitalization probed
Police watchdog delving into injury sustained by man arrested Oct. 10 by Woodstock cops
An injury sustained by a man taken into custody by police in Woodstock is now under investigation by the regional watchdog agency responsible for examining alleged misconduct by law enforcement.
The Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), who investigates cases of injury and death by persons while interacting with police in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, issued a news release Wednesday announcing a new investigation into an incident in Woodstock earlier this month.
SiRT reports that a man sustained “a serious injury that may have occurred during an interaction with a member of the Woodstock Police Force.”
The release said the case arose after members of the force tried to pull over a vehicle for a suspected traffic offence on Main Street in Woodstock early in the morning of Oct. 10.
“The driver did not stop, and the officer continued to follow,” it said.
“Shortly after the vehicle was in an accident and the two occupants fled on foot.”
Police found the driver - an adult male - a short time later, the release said.
“He was located by police later that day, was arrested and transported to the Woodstock Police station, where he complained of pain,” it said.
“The male was taken to Upper River Valley Hospital and then transported and admitted to Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton for serious injuries.”
Since the suspect sustained the injury while in custody, SiRT said, the agency assumed responsibility for this investigation.
The Woodstock Police Force issued its own news release earlier this month about what appears to be the same incident, but it made no mention of any injury.
“At approximately 4:12 a.m. [Oct. 10], a vehicle driving on lower Main Street, Woodstock, lost control and collided with a power pole,” it said, noting the incident caused damage to a home on Main Street.
“Shortly thereafter, two persons were taken into police custody and later released without charge.”
The Woodstock police noted at that time the matter was still under investigation and that charges were expected. The force also sought witness accounts of the incident and any video footage.
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