Prince George, B.C. – The inquest into the RCMP shooting death of Greg Matters continued today with testimony from the first officers on the scene, and an officer who tried to arrest Greg Matters.

 

Cst. Nathan Poyzer testified about a conversation he had with Greg Matters after he attended an incident on Pinko Road in the Pineview area. The report alleged, Trevor Matters, (Greg’s brother) had spun donuts in the yard of the family home, Greg chased Trevor’s Suzuki down the driveway, forced it off the road with his pick up, and then confronted Trevor.   According to the testimony, there was then a physical altercation.

 

Constable Poyzer testified he had a phone conversation with Greg Matters, who he described as calm one minute, and angry the next. After hearing Greg didn’t know who he was chasing down, Poyzer says he became more concerned. Officers began considering a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, the weapon being the vehicle Greg was driving. Constable Poyzer’s partner, Constable Jason Dickinson, said this is why further charges ( possibly drinking and driving and driving without insurance) were not considered against Trevor.

 

Dickinson was also questioned about allegations a police officer assaulted Greg’s mother Lorraine.  The family’s lawyer, Cameron Ward pressed the matter that Lorraine Matters had complained of injuries sustained when she was assaulted, but Constable Dickinson didn’t indicate he knew anything about an alleged assault, responding only with “She complained she had sore ribs.”

 

Constable Dickinson   said Lorraine Matters had been detained for about 7 hours, and confirmed it took 2 ½ hours before RCMP told Lorraine Matters that her son had been shot and was dead.

 

It was Constable Kyle Sharpe who was given the task of arresting Greg Matters. He has testified that although  Greg had said in a phone call he would allow himself to be taken to the station, that didn’t happen. Sharpe says he tried to keep Greg outside the house, for fear of weapons on-site. He said he did not ask Greg Matters to give himself up in person.

 

The inquest continues.