News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Crash
Case Number: 09-TVI-190
The SIU assigned four investigators and three forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this occurrence.
The SIU investigation determined that at 3:50 a.m. on July 25, 2009 a TPS officer saw a car travelling at a high rate of speed along O'Connor Drive. The officer activated the emergency equipment on her police vehicle in an attempt to stop the car. Instead of stopping, the car fled along Victoria Park Avenue. The officer deactivated the emergency equipment on her police vehicle. A short time later the fleeing car struck a traffic signal pole at the intersection of Victoria Park Avenue and Lawrence Avenue. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries.
Director Scott stated, "The subject officer had the lawful authority to stop the vehicle pursuant to s. 216 of the Highway Traffic Act and enter into a pursuit pursuant to s. 3(1)(b) of the Suspect Apprehension Pursuit regulation to the Police Services Act once the vehicle failed to stop. The officer had discontinued the pursuit before the collision. There is no suggestion of physical contact between the pursued vehicle and the police vehicle." Director Scott concluded, "The subject officer complied fully with the regulation and no criminal liability may attach to her conduct."
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