News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Death of Man in Courtland
Case Number: 18-PVD-094
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-PVD-094
Man who was Involved in Courtland Vehicle Collison has Died; SIU Investigation Continues
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 28-year-old man earlier this year in Courtland.
In the afternoon hours of March 31, 2018, an Ontario Provincial Police officer noticed a vehicle on Simcoe Street in downtown Tillsonburg being operated in an erratic manner. The officer followed the vehicle, but after receiving instruction from a communication sergeant, the officer stopped following the driver and pulled over. Approximately four minutes later, the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree. He was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on April 8, 2018.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that no police officer was anywhere near the man at the time of his collision. The officer who had initially observed the man and followed him had lost visual contact approximately four to five minutes prior to the collision and in fact had been stationary for approximately three minutes at the time of the collision. As such, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
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