News Release
SIU Investigates Collision Near Wallaceburg
Case Number: 07-PVD-248
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) notified the SIU that at approximately 5:15 p.m. on December 13, 2007, an on-duty OPP officer in an unmarked police vehicle became involved in a collision with a civilian vehicle on Highway 40 at the intersection of Langstaff Line, north of Wallaceburg.
Seventy-nine-year-old Phyllis Cosford was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination is taking place this afternoon.
The SIU has designated one subject officer and two witness officers from the OPP and will be interviewing witnesses today.
SIU investigators are probing the nature and extent of police involvement in all the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision. Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-2038 or 1-800-787-8529 x 2038.
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