News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Barrie Collision that Resulted in Injuries to Four People
Case Number: 23-OVI-002
Other News Releases Related to Case 23-OVI-002
SIU Seeking Witnesses After Driver Flees Barrie Officers, Hits Pole
In the evening of January 1, 2023, a Barrie Police Service officer was operating a marked police cruiser on routine patrol travelling north on Yonge Street. His passenger was another officer. When an Infiniti sped past the cruiser, the officer activated his emergency lights and accelerated after the Infiniti. Soon after, the driver of the Infiniti lost control, left the roadway, and struck a concrete utility pole. Continuing further a short distance, the vehicle came to rest on the grass boulevard. Each of the four occupants of the Infiniti was taken to hospital where they were treated for various fractures. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer operating the cruiser committed a criminal offence in connection with the collision. There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed.
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