News Release

No Charges to Issue in Relation to Essex County Collision Involving Police Cruiser

Case Number: 17-PVI-374   

Mississauga, ON (9 January, 2019) ---
On the morning of December 23, 2017, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were on Highway 401 in Essex County to assist as a vehicle had gone into a ditch. While one of the officers was parked on the shoulder of the highway with his emergency lighting system activated, a civilian vehicle struck the rear of the officer’s vehicle. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the officer in relation to the serious injuries sustained by three individuals in the civilian vehicle.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php. 


The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations

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