RCMP officer charged with assault with weapon in 2023 incident
Const. Ovidiu Haynes of Valleyview was arrested this week following a provincial watchdog investigation into an incident from November 2023.
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An Alberta RCMP officer has been charged with assault with a weapon following an investigation by the province's police watchdog. Const. Ovidiu Haynes of the Valleyview RCMP detachment in northwestern Alberta was arrested and charged this week, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) announced Thursday.
ASIRT said the charge is tied to an incident that occurred on November 10, 2023. The agency was directed to begin its investigation later that month. After completing its investigation, ASIRT found reasonable grounds to believe an offence had been committed and sent the file to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, which determined the case met the standard for prosecution.
Haynes has been released on conditions. ASIRT did not release details on the circumstances of the assault or whether the officer was on duty at the time. Assault with a weapon is a hybrid offence in Canada, with penalties ranging from probation to 10 years in prison. Haynes' first court appearance is scheduled for August 6, 2026 at the Valleyview Court of Justice.
