News Release
SIU Concludes Pelham Investigation
Case Number: 05-OVI-091
Other News Releases Related to Case 05-OVI-091
On June 19, 2005, an NRPS officer had just started pursuing a Toyota Corolla on Webber Road when the Toyota collided head-on with an oncoming Mercedes SUV. As a result of the collision, the sole occupant of the SUV and four teens in the Toyota were injured and taken to area hospitals for treatment. Three of the five people were seriously hurt, ranging from a broken leg to internal injuries.
The SIU investigation revealed that at approximately 10:30 a.m., an NRPS officer in a marked cruiser was driving eastbound on Webber Road and conducting routine radar patrols. The officer was east of Church Street when he passed the Toyota, which was traveling westbound on Webber Road at a high rate of speed. The officer noticed the driver of the Toyota was passing cars by weaving erratically in and out of lanes. The officer made a u-turn, activated the cruiser's lights and pursued the Toyota for unsafe passing.
At the intersection of Webber and Church, the Toyota crossed into the eastbound lane and struck an oncoming Mercedes SUV. The Toyota burst into flames and the 16-year-old driver of the car ran into a nearby field. When the involved officer arrived at the scene seconds later, he tended to the occupants of both cars and extinguished the fire. Additional police officers arrived to assist and a short while later, the teen driver of the Toyota was found in a nearby field.
Director Cornish concluded that the subject officer did nothing to cause this collision and is not criminally responsible for the injuries to those involved.
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