Alleged truck thief's fractured rib sparks independent investigation of RCMP arrest

An independent body is investigating after a man accused ofstealing a truck with a three-year-old inside earlier this week was found to have a fractured rib after his arrest by RCMP.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) announced Thursday it's looking into the incident.

That injury, which IIU says is serious enough to trigger an investigation, was not initially publicly reported by the RCMP.

Cpl. Rob King, a spokesperson for the RCMP, says the officers involved did not see signs of a fractured rib and that the injury was only detected once the man was taken to hospital.

A spokesperson for the IIU says it will investigate whether the RCMP used unnecessary or excessive forcethat might have caused the man's fractured rib.

How it began

RCMP members from Creighton, Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage and The Pas tracked down the suspect, a 42-year-old man from Medicine Hat, Alta.,just outside Cranberry Portage, Man.on Tuesday, according to a news release.

The man had allegedly stolen a truck with a three-year-old in the backseat in Creighton.

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The on-road pursuit ended when the truck went over a spike belt and rear-ended another car, RCMP said.

According to the RCMP, the man got out of the truck, fled into some bushes and was ultimately found hiding underneath another vehicle in an outbuilding. He suffered"minor injuries from a police dog bite," RCMP said.

The IIU's news release mentioned another injury.

"The suspect sustained a fractured rib during the incident and a laceration as a result of deployment of the police dog," according to IIU's release.

The three-year-old was returned to her mother.

The IIU says the RCMP told it about the incident Wednesday. It's asking any witnesses or people with information orvideo footage to contact them at 1-844-667-6060.