News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Hamilton Pursuit
Case Number: 23-OVI-348
In the evening of August 25, 2023, a Hamilton Police Service officer was operating a marked police cruiser on Burlington Street East when his attention was drawn to a sedan travelling straight in a turn lane. He decided to stop the sedan for a Highway Traffic Act infraction. The sedan picked up speed, and when the officer caught up to it, he activated his emergency lights. The sedan failed to stop. Shortly after, the sedan ran over the foot of a 58-year-old female pedestrian, causing the pedestrian to fall. The officer stopped to render assistance as the sedan continued out of sight. The pedestrian was transported to hospital and diagnosed with a fractured foot. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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