No criminal charges after teen injured in crash while fleeing police in Niagara Falls

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of Ontario found no reasonable grounds to believe a Niagara police officer committed a criminal offence in relation to serious injuries suffered by a teenager in an August collision.

On August 14, an officer attempted to stop a car for speeding when, according to the SIU, the “driver fled on Thorold Stone Road in Niagara Falls”.

The car was later found to have been stolen.

Director Joseph Martino from the SIU was satisfied the officer handled himself with due care and regard for public safety during the interaction with the vehicle, an official SIU statement said.

“The officer travelled at reasonable speeds, made use of his emergency equipment, stopped at the red light before making a safe left turn onto northbound Stanley Avenue, and was well back of the Infiniti when it lost control and crashed. On this record, there was no question of any want of care on the part of the officer contributing to the collision,” the statement added.

The 17-year-old female driver suffered spinal fractures and broken ribs in the collision.