News Release
Officer Charged in Relation to London Vehicle Injuries
Case Number: 13-OVI-245
Other News Releases Related to Case 13-OVI-245
Mississauga (20 January, 2014) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe that a London Police Service (LPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to a collision that occurred in October 2013. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that on Sunday, October 6, 2013, at approximately 11 a.m., an officer with the LPS was traveling southbound on Adelaide Street. At the intersection of Adelaide Street and Oxford Street, there was a collision between the officer’s cruiser and a civilian vehicle traveling eastbound on Oxford Street, causing the civilian vehicle to strike two pedestrians.
As a result of the SIU investigation, LPS Constable Leah Constance Laari 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 80 Dundas Street in London on February 27, 2014. 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