COPS DESCRIBE 'SCARY' BATTLE

A coked-up Kelowna, B.C., man who died after being arrested by three city
cops fought with "extraordinary" and "scary" strength, a fatality inquiry
heard yesterday. Douglas Richard Oliver, 37, had very high levels of
cocaine in his body and his death was attributed to excited delirium due to
cocaine intoxication, according to medical evidence at the hearing.

Police were called to the Grand Hotel, 10266 103 St., about 7 a.m. on Feb.
5, 2003, after a complaint of a guest having all-night drug parties with
unregistered visitors.

Const. Richard Abbott testified he could smell the odor of crack cocaine
when he opened the door of the second-floor suite and found a sweaty, pale
Oliver standing with a weird look on his face and a screwdriver in his hand.

After yelling at him three times before he finally put the screwdriver
down, Abbott said he was trying to handcuff Oliver when Oliver swatted his
hand away.

"A donnybrook is exactly what happened," said Abbott, adding he and a
second cop used both their hands and batons to subdue Oliver, but had no
effect.

"It's off the scale with the violence and tenacity," said Abbott, who
admitted still being "freaked out" by the incident.

He said both he and his partner were fatigued, yet Oliver showed no signs
of slowing down, and even when a third officer joined the battle, Oliver
was initially winning.

"Scary strength" was how he described it.

Const. Kyle Deeg, who was last on scene, agreed, saying he kicked Oliver
four times as hard as he could and got no response.

"I have never seen that type of strength before - he did not even move,"
said Deeg. "It was mayhem."

Court heard the officers eventually got Oliver handcuffed and he finally
stopped fighting and began answering questions, but shortly after his
breathing became shallow and then stopped.

Paramedics were called, but they were unable to revive Oliver and he was
later pronounced dead in hospital.

Oliver's mother and sister questioned witnesses, wanting to know why three
officers couldn't restrain him.

"I just really, really question why such excessive force was used," said
the mother. "Why did he take 48 blows to the body and the head?"

The inquiry is expected to wrap up today.