Surrey RCMP Tasered, charged trucker with obstruction. He sued and won $317K

A long-haul trucker who sued the RCMP after being punched and Tasered by two officers after he was awoken in the cab of his semi-trailer on a Surrey street was awarded more than $300,000 mostly for pain and suffering, and lost future income.

After a 15-day trial in B.C. Supreme Court, Bradley Marvin Degen was awarded $160,000 for pain and suffering, $132,000 for future income loss and the rest in past income loss, cost of future care and special damages, according to reasons for judgment released Tuesday. The total amount awarded was $317,120.

The two officers involved, identified only as Const. Perkins and Spoljar, both rookies with less than 18 months of service each and who had never used a Taser against a suspect before, were defended by lawyers for the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of B.C.

The 115-page judgment by Justice E. David Crossing dismissed much of Degen’s version of events, his claims of battery, negligent investigation and malicious prosecution against the officers, and many of his injuries, and denied Degen punitive damages.