Six RCMP officers are being sued after a violent traffic stop on Highway 5 near Dauphin.
It happened in 2023, when plaintiff Daniel Leclair was driving his motorcycle and made a U-turn on the highway, realizing he had made a wrong turn. According to the lawsuit, Leclair broke his ribs when he was rammed into by a black sport utility vehicle that was travelling at a high rate of speed. Leclair was thrown from his bike.
Kevin Challoner, an RCMP Cpl., was previously charged with assault causing bodily harm and dangerous operation of a vehicle. He will appear in a Dauphin courtroom on November 5. According to the lawsuit, Leclair was struck repeatedly in the back with Challoner's knee and was punched in the face, resulting in damage to his left eye.
Court documents say Challoner caused a police dog under his control to attack Leclair, resulting in bites to his right forearm. Challoner and five other RCMP officers allegedly ignored Leclair's repeated pleas for medical attention for over an hour. It's alleged that Leclair drifted in and out of consciousness during this time.
The claim says two additional groups of RCMP members arrived at the scene, but only the last group called emergency services. The lawsuit alleges that before anyone exited the ambulance, one officer commented to the other officers, "Don't worry about it, he's dead."
Leclair alleges that a third group of RCMP officers at the scene tried to help him enter the ambulance, but the first group of RCMP officers did not allow them to do so. The lawsuit is against Challoner and five other officers.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and statements of defence have not been filed by the RCMP or officers involved. The lawsuit claims Leclair was in a hospital in Winnipeg for three days before being released. He alleges his injuries caused pain so severe that he wasn't able to sleep on his back for a month and had to sleep sitting up on a chair.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
CKDM NewsNow will provide additional information once it becomes available.