News Release
No Basis to Charge Officer in Relation to Pursuit Prior to Oshawa Collision
Case Number: 20-OVI-112
On May 12, 2020, a 34-year-old woman was driving on King Street West in Oshawa when her vehicle was broadsided by a speeding pickup truck. The woman suffered serious injuries in the collision, including a pelvic fracture, spleen laceration and shoulder dislocation. Because the pickup truck was being pursued at the time by a Durham Regional Police Service officer, the SIU commenced an investigation. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the collision.
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