News Release
SIU Closes Investigation in Burnt River Death
Case Number: 13-PCD-301
Mississauga (20 December, 2013) --- Based on the Special Investigations Unit’s (SIU) preliminary enquiries into the death of a 51-year-old man in Burnt River earlier this month, SIU Director Tony Loparco has terminated the investigation. The incident, involving an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Kawartha Lakes Detachment, occurred on Monday, December 9, 2013.
The SIU investigation determined that at approximately 8:45 a.m. on December 9, a member of the deceased’s family notified OPP that he had received correspondence indicating that the deceased intended to commit suicide by driving his vehicle into Burnt River. An officer with the OPP responded and located the man’s vehicle at a boat launch near Third Concession and Cedarplank Road near Fenelon Falls. Before the officer had an opportunity to take any action, the man drove his car down the boat launch into Burnt River.
Director Loparco stated, that “Although the OPP officer was on scene, his conduct did not impact the deceased’s actions in any way. Nor do I believe that the officer had any time to intervene in any way before the deceased acted.”
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