News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation in Middlesex Area
Case Number: 09-OVD-041
The SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators, to probe the circumstances of this occurrence.
The SIU investigation determined that at 12:30 a.m. February 26, 2009 an OPP officer was on patrol on Bodkin Road. A car going in the opposite direction passed the officer at a high rate of speed. The officer turned around to investigate the vehicle. The car was located a short distance later. It had struck a pile of gravel. The driver, 19-year old Vincent Cane Barned, sustained fatal injuries. The officer was never engaged in a pursuit of Mr. Barned’s vehicle
Director Scott said, “Mr. Vincent Barned was observed driving a car at a high rate of speed northbound on Bodkin Rd. in Middlesex County in the early morning hours of February 26, 2009. The subject officer turned his cruiser around to investigate. In the meantime, Mr. Barned turned onto Oneida Rd. The subject officer continued along Oneida Rd, and saw a cloud of gravel dust near a bend in the road. Shortly thereafter the subject officer came across Mr. Barned’s extensively damaged car with the front end against a pile of gravel. Mr. Barned was unconscious and pinned in the front seat. Mr. Barned was pronounced dead at the scene.â€Â
Director Scott added, “It does not appear that the subject officer was engaged in a pursuit of Mr. Barned’s motor vehicle at the time it left the roadway and crashed into a pile of gravel. Accordingly, there is no relationship between the unfortunate death of Mr. Barned and the actions of the subject officer, and no criminal liability can attach to the subject officer’s actions.â€Â
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