News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Death of Woman, Seriously Injured Man After Brampton Pursuit

Case Number: 21-PVD-377   

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Mississauga, ON (4 March, 2022) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of Shellome Peart, 21, and the serious injuries suffered by a man, 25, in a collision last November.

In the early hours of November 5, 2021, the officer initiated the pursuit of the driver of a Jetta who had run a red light. The officer sped after the car for a brief time before disengaging the pursuit eastbound on Sandalwood Parkway East. The driver continued at speed, entering the next intersection on Dixie Road on a red light and striking another car. Ms. Peart, who was driving the vehicle that was struck, died in hospital.

Director Martino found that the officer had an overriding obligation to discontinue the pursuit where the balance of public safety considerations were prohibitive, an obligation he was satisfied that he met.  Accordingly, he was unable to reasonably conclude that the subject official transgressed the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law in the circumstances.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): 

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