News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation in Renfrew
Case Number: 07-PVI-155
The SIU was notified that on August 1, 2007, at approximately 5:40 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers located a car in Douglas that had reportedly been involved in a theft of gas and failed to remain at the scene of a collision in Renfrew. OPP officers pursued the car north on Highway 41. In the area of Highway 41 and Highway 17, Pembroke Police Service officers tried to assist by laying down a spike belt on the road. The 18-year-old male driver of the pursued car tried to avoid the spike belt, went into the ditch and struck a light pole. The young man ran from the car and was immediately apprehended. He was walking back to the cruiser when he collapsed and went unconscious. The young man was taken to Pembroke Hospital and then transferred to Ottawa General Hospital. The female passenger was not injured.
Five SIU investigators were assigned to probe the circumstances of the young man's injuries to determine what role, if any, the police played. Investigators gathered and reviewed the medical reports and determined that the young man received some soft tissue bruising and a superficial cut to his forehead. He was released from hospital and into the custody of the OPP with no serious injuries.
As a result, SIU Director James Cornish said, "The SIU investigation into this incident has been terminated given that the man did not suffer any serious injuries from the collision."
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