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2 years later: Trial to start for Kelowna cop charged in caught-on-camera arrest

Const. Siggy Pietrzak was charged with assault in April 2021

The Kelowna Mountie at the centre of a rough arrest caught on camera in 2020 will go to trial next week.

Const. Siggy Pietrzak was charged with assault in April 2021 in relation to his arrest of a suspected impaired driver on May 30, 2020.

Two people caught the alleged offence on camera. Footage shows Pietrzak arrive at a scene where two other officers are attempting to apprehend a suspect, rush towards the man and punch him several times.

The alleged victim, Tyler Russell, filed a lawsuit against Pietrzak. The Attorney General of Canada, also named in that lawsuit, denied Pietrzak used excessive force.

Pietrzak was then charged again with assault in June 2021, in relation to a separate offence alleged to have happened between May 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2017, in West Kelowna. The B.C. Prosecution Service marked the file as an intimate partner violence case.

At the time of the May 2020 incident, Pietrzak’s sister spoke out about the arrest condemning his actions.

“It didn’t surprise me but I was disgusted. I can’t believe he’s a cop,” said Kym Pietrzak, at the time.

READ MORE: Kelowna Mountie who punched suspect identified, condemned by sister

She added that he been a Kelowna RCMP officer for three years, in 2020. Prior to that, he was a Registered Practical Nurse in Ontario, but is now listed by the College of Nurses of Ontario as ’not entitled to practice’.

The trial takes place May 24, in Kelowna Provincial Court.

READ MORE: Kelowna officer at centre of punch-throwing arrest also faced 2018 complaint probe


@Jen_zee
jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca

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Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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