News Release
Ottawa Collision Occurred After Woman Ran Red Light; SIU Investigation Discontinued
Case Number: 23-OVI-224
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into a June collision in Ottawa that resulted in serious injuries to a 68-year-old woman.
In the morning of June 13, 2023, an Ottawa Police Service officer, having just taken the eastbound off-ramp of Highway 417 at Maitland Avenue, was the second vehicle stopped at a red light waiting to turn left onto Maitland Avenue. As the signal turned green and the vehicle in front of him embarked on its left turn, the officer followed. At this time, the woman was travelling north on Maitland Avenue in her vehicle. She entered the intersection of the off-ramp and Maitland Avenue against a red light, and struck the officer’s cruiser. The collision is said to have caused the woman a broken nose and concussion.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. The events in question, including the colour of the lights at the time, were captured by a traffic camera. On this record, it was evident that the officer did not cause or contribute to the collision, by act or omission, in any manner that could attract criminal sanction. As such, there being patently nothing to investigate as far as the officer’s potential criminal liability was concerned, the file has been closed.
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