News Release
SIU Closes Investigation into Toronto Vehicle Injuries
Case Number: 10-TVI-052
Other News Releases Related to Case 10-TVI-052
Witness Assistance
The SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. The investigation found that the following events took place on April 3:
* In the early hours of that day, the subject officer and his partner responded to a dispatch of an alleged assault in which the assailants fled in a dark van.
* The subject officer saw the van in question at the intersection of Humber College Boulevard and Westmore Drive, and subsequently activated his emergency equipment.
* However, the driver of the van did not stop and a suspect apprehension pursuit began. Traffic conditions were light, and the officer continued to stay in contact with his dispatcher.
* The driver went through a stop sign and a set of traffic lights at the Westmore Drive and Finch Avenue intersection. The officer lost sight of the van and turned into a plaza parking lot north of Carrier Drive in an attempt to find the van.
* In the meantime, the driver of the van continued to accelerate, traveling at high speed westbound along Albion Road toward Hwy 27. As he approached Hwy 27, the light was red and there were three stationary vehicles in the westbound lane waiting for the light to change. He attempted to drive between the vehicles and drove into the rear end of the vehicle occupied by a man and his daughter.
* The man sustained face and head lacerations and his daughter sustained a compound fracture of her left femur.
* The van also struck another stationary vehicle but the collision caused no injuries to the occupants of that car.
Director Scott said, "Pursuant to the Suspect Apprehension Pursuits Regulation to the Police Services Act, the subject officer had the lawful authority to enter into a pursuit because he had credible information that the driver of the van had committed a criminal offence and the driver refused to stop. It appears that the officer balanced the need to apprehend the driver with public safety concerns because he stayed in contact with his dispatcher, stopped and/or slowed down when necessary, and ultimately discontinued the pursuit when he mistakenly thought the pursued vehicle pulled into a plaza area. In my view, the actions of the subject officer fall short of any Criminal Code driving offence."
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
- report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.
Monica Hudon, monica.hudon@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES
Telephone/No de téléphone: 416-622-2342 or/ou 1-800-787-8529 extension 2342