News Release
SIU Lays Charges against Officer in Relation to Collision in Binbrook
Case Number: 15-PVI-310
Other News Releases Related to Case 15-PVI-310
SIU Investigating a Crash at the Scene of a Fatal Collision in Binbrook
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has caused charges to be laid against an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer in relation to a December 2015 incident in Binbrook, a community in southeastern Hamilton.
The SIU investigation determined that the OPP officer was in her cruiser following a 29-year-old driver of a vehicle. At approximately 8:30 p.m., the vehicle being followed approached an intersection – which had been closed because of an accident – and collided with another vehicle carrying a 58-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. Both of these individuals were taken to hospital. The 58-year-old driver was diagnosed with a serious injury while his passenger was treated and released.
As a result of the SIU investigation, 26-year-old OPP Constable Lauren Cheeseman is now facing the following charges under the Criminal Code:
- One count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, contrary to section 221; and
- One count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, contrary to section 249(3).
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 45 Main Street East in Hamilton on March 20, 2017.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment.
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