News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Midland Vehicle Injuries Investigation

Case Number: 12-PVI-366   

Mississauga (3 January, 2013) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge an Ontario Provincial Police officer with the South Georgian Bay detachment with any criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by an 18-year-old male in December of 2012.

The SIU assigned three investigators, two forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to probe the circumstances of this incident. As part of the investigation, two witness officers and two civilian witnesses were interviewed. The subject officer consented to an interview with the SIU and provided a copy of his duty notes. 

The SIU investigation found that the following events took place on Saturday, December 15:
• In the early morning hours, the subject officer observed an eastbound Chevrolet Cobalt traveling at a speed of at least 160 km/h on Highway 12 near Martyrs’ Shrine. 
• The officer commenced a pursuit but quickly discontinued it. 
• Soon after, east of Triple Bay Road, the officer noticed vehicle parts strewn along the highway.  A moment later, he saw the Chevrolet Cobalt resting in the north ditch of the highway. The officer found the man in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, profusely bleeding from his forehead. 
• The man was transported to Huronia District Hospital where he was diagnosed as sustaining a severe gash to the forehead and a broken nose as a result of the collision.

The collision reconstructionist report estimates the speed of the man’s vehicle immediately before the first impact to be 167 to 170 km/h. Any suggestion that the subject officer was responsible for this collision is not supported by the conclusions of the reconstructionist.   

Director Scott said, “In my view, the subject officer had the lawful authority to initiate a suspect apprehension pursuit under O.Reg 267/10; he was attempting to identify the vehicle in question. The officer then quickly discontinued the pursuit. There was no physical evidence to suggest that the involved OPP cruiser was in contact with the Cobalt or any other object during this event. The man was the author of his own misfortune when he drove off the highway and sustained these injuries.” 

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