News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Incident in Schreiber OPP Area
Case Number: 09-PVI-014
Other News Releases Related to Case 09-PVI-014
The SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding the occurrence.
On January 23, 2009 at 3:00 a.m. an OPP officer stopped a suspected stolen vehicle on Hwy. 17 west of Schreiber. The driver of the vehicle, 50 year old John Perrault of Sault Ste Marie, got out of the vehicle, but before the OPP officer could investigate him further, Mr. Perrault jumped back in the vehicle and fled eastbound on Highway 17. The OPP officer pursued the vehicle for 37 kms at speeds of up to 150 km/h. Mr. Perrault eventually lost control of the vehicle just west of Rainbow Falls Provincial Park. The vehicle left the roadway, entered a ditch and rolled over. Mr. Perrault sustained head injuries and was taken by ambulance to hospital in Terrace Bay. Mr. Perrault was later transferred to hospital in Thunder Bay.
Director Scott said, “The OPP officer had the lawful authority to detain the vehicle’s driver for investigative purposes given his receipt of credible information that the vehicle was stolen. Once Mr. Perrault chose to flee from the officer, I am of the view that the subject officer had the further lawful authority to arrest him and enter into a pursuit for the purposes of apprehending him. Traffic on the road was very light and the pursuit did not needlessly put the safety of others in jeopardy.â€Â Director Scott added, “The officers involved in the pursuit were in the process of deploying a spike belt, but Mr. Perrault lost control of the vehicle before he reached the belt. Given the authority the officer had to pursue Mr. Perrault, along with the prudent method he used to attempt to achieve his objective of apprehending him, I am of the opinion that Mr. Perrault lost control of his vehicle on a curve in the roadway in an attempt to elude the police, and as a result, suffered head injuries. In these circumstances, the subject officer cannot be held criminally liable for the injuries suffered by Mr. Perrault.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