News Release
SIU Closes Investigation into Oshawa Vehicle Death
Case Number: 10-OVD-040
Other News Releases Related to Case 10-OVD-040
The SIU assigned five investigators and three forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. The investigation found that the following events took place on March 24:
* At approximately 2:17 p.m., the subject officer and his partner were conducting speed enforcement on Harmony Road just north of King Street East.
* They clocked the motorcycle being driven southbound by Mr. Baron at 82 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. The motorcycle decelerated, turned around and drove northbound away from the officers at a high rate of speed.
* The two officers went to their marked cruiser in an attempt to locate the motorcyclist. The subject officer activated his emergency lights to facilitate his turn northbound on Harmony Road N. He turned them off once on the roadway.
* Meanwhile, Mr. Baron entered the intersection of Harmony Road N and Adelaide Avenue E at a high rate of speed, and drove straight into a civilian vehicle that was attempting a left hand turn into the eastbound lane of Adelaide Avenue E. Mr. Baron catapulted over the vehicle.
* The accident reconstruction report estimates the motorcycle's speed at the point of impact at somewhere between 90 to 110 km/h. Mr. Baron died from multiple internal traumas as a result of the collision with the vehicle and the subsequent impact with the roadway.
Director Scott said, "In my view, Mr. Baron's death was caused by his own actions in attempting to elude the involved officers who were lawfully monitoring the roadway for speeding vehicles. While the subject officer had the lawful authority to begin a suspect apprehension pursuit as defined by the regulations of the Police Services Act, by all accounts he did not engage in a pursuit as events happened so quickly. It would appear that Mr. Baron was making every effort to elude the police whether or not he was being actively pursued."
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