News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Brampton Vehicle Injuries Investigation

Case Number: 13-OVI-121   

Mississauga (13 June, 2013) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge a Peel Regional Police officer with any criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by a 50-year-old male last month.

The SIU assigned five investigators, two forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to probe the circumstances of this incident. As part of the investigation, four witness officers and seven civilian witnesses were interviewed. The subject officer consented to an interview with the SIU and provided a copy of her duty notes. 

The SIU investigation found that the following events took place on Tuesday, May 14, 2013:
• Around noon, the subject officer was driving a marked police cruiser eastbound on Sandalwood Parkway in response to a domestic violence call. The posted speed limit is 60 km/h. The officer activated the vehicle’s emergency equipment en route. 
• As the officer approached the intersection of Sandalwood Parkway and McLaughlin Road, the traffic light was red in her direction. She slowed her vehicle to approximately 18 km/h and looked in both directions to see whether the north-south traffic had come to a stop. From her perspective, it appeared as if the north-south traffic had come to a halt in response to either seeing or hearing her emergency equipment. There was a van that was stationary in the most westerly northbound lane that may have impeded the subject officer’s view of traffic in the more easterly northbound lane. 
• In the meantime, the driver of a GMC Envoy was heading northbound into the intersection, accompanied by a passenger. As he entered the intersection, he had reduced his speed from approximately 60 km/h to 35 km/h when the police cruiser driven by the subject officer struck the left rear side of the Envoy.  
• The driver of the Envoy sustained severe trauma to his chest as a result of the collision – he had multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung. He is expected to survive.  His passenger and the subject officer did not sustain any significant injuries. 

Director Scott said, “While the subject officer had a duty in law to come to a complete stop and ascertain that it was safe before entering the intersection against a red light pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, she did slow down significantly and saw that many vehicles had stopped at the intersection in response to her emergency equipment. Unfortunately, her view of the curb lane northbound traffic was likely blocked by the presence of a van that had stopped in response to her emergency equipment, and she did not see the Envoy until it was directly in her path. The driver of the Envoy clearly was unaware of the police vehicle attempting to enter the intersection against a red light perhaps because his view was also blocked by the same van.”

Director Scott continued, “The subject officer should have come to a complete halt before entering the intersection against a red light. As well, the Envoy driver should have brought his vehicle to a standstill upon the approach of a police cruiser with its emergency equipment activated. As a result of these apparent Highway Traffic Act infractions by both vehicles, this unfortunate collision took place. However, the actions of the subject officer do not justify a charge of dangerous driving under the Criminal Code, notwithstanding the regrettable consequences.” 

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