News Release
No Charges to Issue After Youth Seriously Injured in Crash Following Police Pursuit
Case Number: 21-PVI-119
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that Hawkesbury Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers committed a criminal offence in connection with the pursuit of a 17-year-old male driver.
On April 12, 2021, a youth was seriously injured in a rollover crash on the gravel shoulder of CR 17, west of L’Orignal, after the OPP disengaged a brief police pursuit. Director Martino concluded the two officers involved were in the lawful discharge of their duty to stop the driver. The youth was operating a stolen vehicle and there were grounds to believe he had committed a criminal offence. Director Martino found no evidence to suggest police caused or contributed to the crash.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1494
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES