News Release
No Criminal Wrongdoing Found in Relation to Toronto Motorcycle Collision
Case Number: 20-TVI-127
On the afternoon of June 2, 2020, a Toronto Police Service officer was conducting speed enforcement for eastbound traffic on Lakeshore Boulevard West. When he observed two motorcycles traveling at high rates of speed, the officer maneuvered his motorcycle onto the roadway intending to stop the motorcyclists. When the riders sped away, the officer decided against a pursuit. At the intersection of Lower Simcoe Street, the riders disregarded a red light and one of the motorcycles collided into the driver’s side rear door of a SUV that had been traveling northbound on Lower Simcoe Street. The 34-year-old male rider would ultimately be diagnosed with fractures to both wrists and left elbow, as well as a bone chip in his neck. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s injuries.
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