News Release

News Release

SIU Investigates Vehicle Death in Wellington County

Case Number: 10-PVD-020   

Mississauga (11 February, 2010) --- The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has assigned five investigators, four forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to probe a vehicle fatality near Palmerston that occurred early this morning.

The SIU was notified by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) that at approximately 1:30 a.m. on February 11, 2010, an officer began to follow a vehicle southbound on Highway 23, north of Palmerston, for investigation of a Highway Traffic Act infraction. A short time later, that vehicle collided with an oncoming northbound vehicle with two occupants. The 25-year-old male driver of the southbound vehicle is in hospital with minor injuries. A 22-year-old female in the northbound vehicle is deceased; an 18-year-old male suffered serious injuries and is in hospital.

The SIU has designated one subject officer and two witness officers from the OPP.

The SIU is appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident to contact the Unit at 416-622-2290 or 1-800-787-8529 x. 2290.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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