News Release
Toronto Police Officer Charged
Case Number: 06-TVI-168
At approximately 8:32 p.m. that evening, a TPS officer driving a marked cruiser was responding to a 911 weapons call at Markham and Ellesmere Roads. The officer was traveling westbound on Ellesmere Road when it collided with an eastbound car in the area of Ellesmere and Military Trail. As a result of the collision, the 40-year-old female driver of the civilian car suffered multiple fractures. Her 10-year-old daughter who was also in the car was not injured.
Based on the evidence from the SIU investigation, Director Cornish concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Peter Eckersall of the TPS committed the criminal offence of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, contrary to section 249(3) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
A summons has been issued requiring Mr. Eckersall to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Scarborough on July 20, 2007 to answer to the charge. Justice Prosecutions of the Ministry of the Attorney General has carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officers and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
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