Mountie escapes impaired driving charge in B.C. death

[CHIMO]

Overruling recommendations by a local police force, B.C.'s attorney general's office has refused to lay impaired driving charges after a fatal crash last year involving an RCMP officer who is also at the centre of the scandal over the tasering and death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski.

The minister's Criminal Justice Branch will instead lay a single charge of Attempting to Obstruct Justice against RCMP Corporal Benjamin (Monty) Robinson.

The charge came after a Oct. 25, 2008, crash in Tsawwassen, B.C., in which motorcyclist Orion Hutchinson was struck and killed by a Jeep alleged to have been driven by Cpl. Robinson, who was off-duty at the time. Witnesses said at the time that the officer fled the scene of the crash to drop his kids off at his home nearby. He later failed a breathalyzer test.

Six months ago, the Delta Police Force, which includes Tsawwassen, recommended the Crown lay charges of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death. They took the unusual step of announcing their recommendation, citing the high profile of the case.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/mountie-escapes-impaired-driving-charge-in-bc-death/article1384800/