SIU clears officer in St. Catharines crash

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has cleared an OPP officer in a highway chase that sent two people to hospital in St. Catharines.

On March 16, around 3 a.m. an officer was conducting radar on the QEW in St. Catharines when a vehicle sped through at 134 km/h. The officer turned on the emergency lights and attempted to pull the driver over. The vehicle appeared to be pulling over but then made a wide high-speed turn onto Highway 406. The officer lost sight on the vehicle and turned off the emergency lights.

Another OPP officer found the vehicle rolled over on the 4th Avenue ramp after it struck a retaining wall. Two men had to be cut from the vehicle and were transferred to hospital. The 20-year-old driver suffered spinal fractures and required surgery. The 21-year-old passenger sustained facial injuries.

The SIU says there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with this matter.

The SIU investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.