News Release
No Grounds to Proceed with Charges in Relation to Collision Between Snowmobile and Cruiser in Wawa
Case Number: 19-PVI-067
On April 3, 2019, there was a collision between a snowmobile and an Ontario Provincial Police cruiser on Highway 101 in Wawa. The snowmobile operator was transported to hospital where he was treated for multiple fractures of his left leg. While Director Joseph Martino has no doubt that the officer was driving dangerously in the moments before the collision, and that his dangerous driving was largely responsible for what occurred, he is of the view that the evidence falls just short of justifying criminal charges against the officer.
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