News Release

SIU Invokes Mandate in Fatal Crash Outside Smiths Falls

Case Number: 16-PVD-126   

Mississauga, ON (20 May, 2016) ---
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is examining the circumstances surrounding the death of an 18-year-old man following a crash on Kitley Line 2 outside Smiths Falls.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • Just before 8:30 p.m. on May 19, an Ontario Provincial Police officer was travelling southbound on County Road 17 when he observed a vehicle travelling northbound at a high rate of speed.
  • The officer followed the vehicle.
  • Moments later, the vehicle turned left on Kitley Line.  It drove off the road, crashed into trees, and the driver was ejected from the vehicle.  
  • An 18-year-old man was transported to Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital where he was pronounced dead.    
  • A 16-year-old female youth inside the vehicle was uninjured.
    
The SIU has designated one subject officer as part of this investigation.

Four investigators, two forensic investigators, and two collision reconstructionists have been assigned to this incident.
 
The SIU is urging anyone who may information about the incident to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529.

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as 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

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