News Release
OPP Officer Charged in Relation to West Grey Vehicle Injuries
Case Number: 13-PVI-060
Mississauga (12 July, 2013) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has reasonable grounds to believe that an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Markdale detachment committed a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by a 26-year-old man in a March 2013 incident. Director Scott has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that on March 3, 2013, OPP officers were conducting a Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spot check when a snowmobile came to their attention. One of the officers involved in the spot check traveled to West Back Line in a marked cruiser, where he eventually collided with a northbound snowmobile being operated by the 26-year-old male. As a result of the collision, the man sustained a fracture to his upper sternum and suffered partially collapsed lungs.
As a result of the SIU investigation, OPP Constable James Hunter is facing one charge of Dangerous Driving, contrary to s. 249(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officer is compelled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 207 Cayley Street in Walkerton on September 9, 2013. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officer and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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