News Release
No Basis to Charge OPP Officer in Relation to Bonfield Collision
Case Number: 17-PVI-371
On December 22, 2017, a police vehicle was involved in a collision with a civilian vehicle in the area of Trout Pond Road and Highway 17 in Bonfield. The 25-year-old driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the driver of the police vehicle in relation to the serious injuries sustained.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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