News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Ottawa Collision
Case Number: 07-OVI-128
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SIU Appeals for Witnesses to Collision in Ottawa
SIU Appeals for Witnesses to Collision in Ottawa
The SIU assigned two field investigators and one forensic identification technician to investigate the circumstances surrounding this collision.
The SIU investigation determined that at 1:20 a.m., June 30, 2007, an OPS officer was responding to a stolen vehicle call. He was driving an unmarked police cruiser northbound on Fisher Avenue through a natural depression in the road, south of Emperor Avenue. The officer was exceeding the speed limit whilst responding to a priority call for assistance, but traffic was light and the road was dry. At this same time the driver of a Toyota was stopped on Emperor Avenue at the stop sign at Fisher Avenue. The officer glanced at his in car computer terminal momentarily and when he looked up the Toyota was in front of him. He attempted to avoid a collision, but struck the Toyota just north of Emperor Avenue. There were two adults and a 3-month old baby in the Toyota. The parents suffered minor injuries. The baby was taken to hospital where it was determined he had suffered a skull fracture. Fortunately the baby did not sustain any brain damage and was released from hospital on July 2nd.
The SIU investigators determined that the Toyota turning onto northbound Fisher Avenue and the glancing away of the officer occurred more or less simultaneously during the time the police cruiser was in the depression in the road. This contributed to the inability of the officer to see the Toyota and the Toyota driver's inability to see the approaching police cruiser.
Director Cornish said, "The officer was driving a police vehicle with its emergency lights activated. He had a reasonable basis to expect other that the other users of the roadway would yield the right of way to him. In my view the officer's speed on this road, in the circumstances, does not amount to a marked departure from the standard of care of a reasonable person."
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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