News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Kirkland Lake Collision Between Police Vehicle and Pickup Truck
Case Number: 18-PVI-080
On March 13, 2018, an Ontario Provincial Police officer was driving an unmarked police vehicle on Duncan Avenue South, approaching Kirkland Street. As the officer began to execute a left turn onto Kirkland Street, a pickup truck driving behind struck the police vehicle. The officer was transported to hospital and diagnosed with a concussion, and the truck driver was later also diagnosed with a concussion. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the officer in relation to the serious injury sustained by the 56-year-old pickup truck driver.
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