News Release
No Charges in Police Cruiser, Motorcycle Crash in Brampton
Case Number: 21-OVI-170
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OVI-170
SIU Investigating Two-Vehicle Collision Involving Niagara Police Officer
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Niagara Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a collision involving a motorcycle in Brampton last June.
On June 2, 2021, an on-duty Niagara Regional Police Service officer was involved in a crash with a motorcycle while making a U-turn in an unmarked police pickup truck at Kennedy Road North near Bovaird Street East. The rider of the motorcycle, a 49-year-old man, suffered a fractured leg.
Director Martino found the officer fell short in his duty to ensure the roadway was clear before he made the U-turn, but he was satisfied that the officer’s want of care amounted to a momentary lapse of attention. Accordingly, there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer drove dangerously in breach of the criminal law and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1532
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