News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Vehicle Death in Brampton
Case Number: 10-OVD-189
Other News Releases Related to Case 10-OVD-189
On Friday September 3, 2010 at 9:11 p.m. the SIU was contacted by PRP in regards to a motorcycle colliding with one of their police cars in Brampton. The 65-year-old motorcyclist, Thomas Burns of Brampton was seriously injured and taken to Sunnybrook Hospital. Mr. Burns later succumbed to the injuries he received during the collision.
The SIU dispatched three investigators, three forensic investigators and one technical traffic collision investigator to the scene.
The SIU investigation determined that at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Friday, September 3, PRP officers were investigating a collision south of Fisherman Drive on Hurontario Street. The subject officer responded to a request for a police car to block off the southbound traffic on Hurontario Street. He parked the fully marked police car with reflective tape on the south side of the intersection at Fisherman Drive facing west across the southbound lanes and activated the emergency lighting equipment. (The intersection also had overhead lighting and traffic lights.) Two to three minutes later, the officer saw a motorcycle driving southbound on Hurontario Street. The motorcycle drove straight into the cruiser hitting it at the front passenger wheel well area. The motorcyclist was thrown from the motorcycle and landed on the roadway.
Director Scott said, “The subject officer had the lawful authority to stop traffic from continuing in a southerly direction along Hurontario Street in order to prevent further injury or damage at the original accident scene pursuant to s. 134 of the Highway Traffic Act. He followed PRP internal policy by activating the cruiser’s emergency lights and ensuring there was lighting in the area. In addition, the police car had many reflective markings.” Director Scott concluded, “In my view, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the subject officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the death of Mr. Burns.”
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
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