News Release
No Basis to Lay Charges Against Police Officer in Relation to Collision in Kitchener
Case Number: 17-OVI-376
On December 24, 2017, a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer in Kitchener was investigating a U-Haul for a traffic violation. The driver of the U-Haul fled at a high rate of speed, and soon after, collided with another motor vehicle. An 84-year-old female passenger in this motor vehicle sustained a serious injury as a result of the collision. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against a WRPS officer in relation to this incident.
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