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Cops Describe 'Scary' Battle'
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n680/a12.html
Newshawk: CMAP ( http://www.mapinc.org/cmap
)
Pubdate: Thu, 06 May 2004
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2004, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: mailbag@edm.sunpub.com
Website: http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Tony Blais
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm
(Cocaine)
COPS DESCRIBE 'SCARY' BATTLE
A coked-up Kelowna, B.C., man who died after being arrested by
three city cops fought with "extraordinary" and
"scary" strength, a fatality inquiry heard
yesterday. Douglas Richard Oliver, 37, had very high
levels of cocaine in his body and his death was attributed to
excited delirium due to cocaine intoxication, according to
medical evidence at the hearing.
Police were called to the Grand Hotel, 10266 103 St., about 7
a.m. on Feb. 5, 2003, after a complaint of a guest
having all-night drug parties with unregistered visitors.
Const. Richard Abbott testified he could smell the odor of
crack cocaine when he opened the door of the second-floor suite
and found a sweaty, pale Oliver standing with a weird look on
his face and a screwdriver in his hand.
After yelling at him three times before he finally put the
screwdriver down, Abbott said he was trying to handcuff Oliver
when Oliver swatted his hand away.
"A donnybrook is exactly what happened," said Abbott,
adding he and a second cop used both their hands and batons to
subdue Oliver, but had no effect.
"It's off the scale with the violence and tenacity,"
said Abbott, who admitted still being "freaked out" by
the incident.
He said both he and his partner were fatigued, yet Oliver showed
no signs of slowing down, and even when a third officer joined
the battle, Oliver was initially winning.
"Scary strength" was how he described it.
Const. Kyle Deeg, who was last on scene, agreed, saying he
kicked Oliver four times as hard as he could and got no
response.
"I have never seen that type of strength before - he did
not even move," said Deeg. "It was mayhem."
Court heard the officers eventually got Oliver handcuffed and he
finally stopped fighting and began answering questions, but
shortly after his breathing became shallow and then stopped.
Paramedics were called, but they were unable to revive Oliver
and he was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Oliver's mother and sister questioned witnesses, wanting to know
why three officers couldn't restrain him.
"I just really, really question why such excessive force
was used," said the mother. "Why did he take 48
blows to the body and the head?"
The inquiry is expected to wrap up today.
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