The BC Coroners Service will begin an inquest on December 2, 2024, into the death of Jason Elwyn Koehler, a 47-year-old businessman from Whistler, who died after a confrontation with Whistler RCMP.
Koehler’s death on March 8, 2020, followed a confrontation with Whistler RCMP officers, who reportedly used a taser, pepper spray, physical blows, and a baton while attempting to arrest him at a Whistler Village restaurant. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which oversees police conduct in British Columbia, subsequently cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, concluding that Koehler’s resistance led to the force used during his arrest.
Former IIO director Ronald MacDonald said that the officer’s actions were justified, given Koehler’s resistance. “While significant force was used against (Koehler) during the arrest, in the form of (conducted energy weapon) deployments, (pepper spray) and blows, the need for that level of force was created by (his) own violent resistance,” former IIO director Ronald MacDonald concluded in the report.
Later, toxicology results revealed that Koehler had cocaine, methamphetamine, THC metabolites, and naloxone in his system at the time of his death. His autopsy listed the cause of death as a combination of drug toxicity, pre-existing heart disease, and physical restraint.
The inquest, which is mandatory when a death occurs in police custody, aims to address three primary areas: establishing the identity, cause, and classification of death; making recommendations to prevent similar fatalities; and ensuring public accountability. Presiding Coroner Kimberly Isbister and a jury will hear testimony from witnesses, assessing evidence related to the incident and ultimately making recommendations to prevent future incidents.
However, the jury will not assign legal responsibility or make any findings of law.