News Release
SIU Finds no Basis to Proceed with Criminal Charges in Relation to Fatal Midland Collision
Case Number: 20-PVD-243
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-PVD-243
SIU Investigating After Man Fatally Struck by Police Vehicle in Midland
Just after midnight on September 29, 2020, a 35-year-old man and a friend were on foot on Highway 12 near its intersection with Jones Road in Midland. At about the same time, an Ontario Provincial Police officer was operating a police SUV east on Highway 12 toward Jones Road. As the officer approached and entered the intersection, the officer struck the 35-year-old man. The man had been walking diagonally toward the southeast corner of the intersection at the time. The officer had entered the intersection on a green light. Despite life-saving efforts by the officer, other police officers and paramedics, the man succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined that while there are reasonable grounds to believe that the officer, particularly with respect to her speed in bad weather and lighting conditions, operated her cruiser in a dangerous fashion, he is not satisfied that the officer’s transgressions on balance rose to the level of criminal conduct.
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