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OPP say they've identified vehicle, driver in fatal pedestrian collision

Investigators are still trying to identify the woman who was struck and killed on Highway 26 just outside Barrie, Tuesday night
2020-09-16 SIU road closure RB 3
Police closed Bayfield Street/Highway 26 between Hanmer Street and Carson Road for several hours Wednesday for an SIU investigation. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

SPRINGWATER TWP. — Provincial police say they have identified the vehicle and driver involved in a deadly crash Tuesday night that killed a woman believed to be in her 20s.

However, no charges have been laid and the investigation is ongoing.  

Huronia West OPP officers, under the direction of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), are investigating the fatal fail-to-remain collision involving the female pedestrian on Bayfield Street North near Carson Road, just north of the Barrie city limits.

"Initial investigation revealed the female pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle that failed to remain," police said in a release Thursday afternoon. "The female was transported to local hospital by County of Simcoe Paramedic Services where she was pronounced deceased. The driver and the vehicle have since been identified and the police are continuing their investigation."

Const. Iryna Nebogatova told BarrieToday that investigators are still trying to identify the woman. 

However, Nebogatova would not divulge how police were able to identify the suspect vehicle, other than to reiterate that the investigation is ongoing. No other details about the vehicle have been released. 

On Sept. 15, at approximately 10:48 p.m., officers responded to reports of a woman with a dog walking on Bayfield Street North. The woman was wearing what police are describing as orange- or red-coloured clothing waving at vehicles.

Prior to police arrival, an on-duty OPP officer and an off-duty Barrie city police officer came across the scene where they found the woman lying on the roadway and attempted to provide first-aid. The dog was found dead off the road. 

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has invoked its mandate due to the police involvement. The SIU has assigned five investigators and three forensic investigators to the case. 

The SIU is an independent civilian agency that investigates incidents involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

Anyone who may have information or witnessed the incident or observed the woman walking north on Bayfield Street is asked call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. 

Regardless of how small the details may seem, Nebogatova urged anyone to come forward with information that may assist in the investigation. 

The SIU is also asking anyone who may have information about the woman’s identity, or the investigation, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. Anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident can upload that video through the SIU website.