News Release
No Criminal Offence in Man’s Death in Ottawa Area
Case Number: 22-PVD-208
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-PVD-208
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of a 28-year-old man in Kemptville.
On August 16, 2022, an officer was doing radar enforcement on Highway 416 in Kemptville when the man, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt, sped past at over 150 km/h. The officer pursued the man. The officer was about 300 metres away from the Cobalt when the driver crashed into a hydro pole at Dilworth Road and Fourth Line Road. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Director Martino was satisfied that the officer’s conduct, if dangerous at times given his speeds, fell short of transgressing the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law. As such, there was no basis for proceeding with charges in this case. The file has been closed.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES