News Release
Officer Charged in Relation to Niagara Vehicle Injuries
Case Number: 13-OVI-016
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has reasonable grounds to believe that a Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by 56-year-old Robert Long and 55-year-old Christine Long in a January 2013 incident. Director Scott has today caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that on January 19, 2013, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Mr. and Mrs. Long were travelling in their Nissan Rogue in the northbound lane of Montrose Road near Charnwood Road when their vehicle was struck from behind by a marked police cruiser. As a result of the collision, Mr. Long was diagnosed with rib fractures and Mrs. Long sustained a head injury.
As a result of the SIU investigation, NRPS Constable Leslie Bittman is facing one charge of Dangerous Driving, contrary to s. 249(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officer is compelled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines on June 26, 2013. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officer and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
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