Manitoba's Independent Investigation Unit, which looks into serious incidents involving the police, is probing a report of an RCMP officer hitting a driver with a traffic pylon.

The incident happened after the officer stopped a speeding vehicle on Highway 17 in the RM of Rockwood on the morning of Oct. 21.

The driver, a 27-year-old man, was arrested for driving without a licence. While he was in the back of the police vehicle, he blew mucus and spit all over the back seat, the police watchdog said in a press release.

In response, the officer struck the man with a pylon that was in police car. He later reported the incident to his supervisor.

The 27-year-old man wasn't injured, but the IIU determined it is in the public interest to investigate.

The police watchdog is also investigating an incident in Winnipeg where a man became "unresponsive" while in police custody last Thursday.

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