News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Fatal Toronto Collision
Case Number: 05-TVD-159
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Nicholas Vanderboom, 19 years of age, suffered fatal injuries when a motorcycle struck the car he was driving. Both occupants on the motorcycle, Kenneth Walton and his passenger Blake Deck, also died from their injuries.
The investigation revealed that at about 1:16 a.m., TPS officers had responded to a stabbing incident in the area of Yonge Street and Kempford Boulevard. Several cruisers were parked in the area and some of them had their emergency lights activated. While there, officers noticed several motorcycles drive by them at a high rate of speed northbound on Yonge. Civilian witnesses also reported seeing a motorcycle, traveling at a high rate speed and "pulling wheelies." It reportedly turned west onto Finch Avenue.
Two officers got into a marked cruiser followed north on Yonge to Finch. Once they turned west onto Finch, they drove at or below the speed limit to try and locate the motorcycles. The officers turned off Finch before reaching the accident scene and made their way back to the station.
At 1:29 a.m., the first report of a collision came into the TPS. Mr. Vanderboom had driven south on Talbot Road and was stopped at a red light at Finch Avenue. He had turned west onto Finch and as he attempted to make a u-turn around the island to go east, he was struck by the motorcycle that was also traveling west.
Director Cornish concluded there is no evidence to suggest that the subject officer caused this tragic and senseless collision. He stated this motorcycle fled from the officers on Yonge Street and no cruiser ever got close to the motorcycle again until after this collision.
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