News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation After Man Injured in Collision with OPP Cruiser on Saugeen First Nation
Case Number: 23-PVI-363
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injuries suffered by a 42-year-old man in a collision involving a stolen ATV colliding with a cruiser in September on Saugeen First Nation.
On September 3, 2023, an ATV towing an oversized trailer was travelling on French Bay Road. An officer attempted to stop the ATV after the operator failed to stop for police moments earlier. The officer pulled his cruiser in front of the ATV and the driver didn’t stop and failed to make the turn around it. The driver struck the cruiser, and lost control, hitting the ditch. A passenger sitting on the back of the trailer was thrown from it and suffered serious injuries, including broken ribs. The ATV operator and a female passenger on the ATV did not suffer any serious injuries. They attempted to flee but were located and arrested by the officer.
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