The Special Investigations Unit has closed an investigation into an incident back in June that saw an OPP vehicle significantly damaged on Highway 400 at Mapleview Drive.
On June 29, a man in a black Honda was driving northbound on Highway 400 returning from work. As he approached the Mapleview Drive exit, the man hit the rear of a police cruiser that was stopped on the shoulder, assisting another motorist, with its emergency lights activated.
At that time, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the officer was stopped on Highway 400 assisting another motorist whose vehicle had broken down on the side of the road.
"As the officer was outside of his vehicle speaking to the other motorist, another vehicle lost control approaching the area and slammed into the side and back of the stopped police vehicle," Schmidt said at the time.
The driver whose Honda collided with the OPP vehicle was taken to hospital with what Schmidt said appeared to be minor injuries. The OPP officer was not injured, nor was anyone else at the scene.
In his report released this afternoon, director of the Special Investigations Unit Joseph Martino announced he had terminated the investigation.
“The SIU’s preliminary inquiries established that the man was not seriously injured in the collision,” wrote Martino in a release.
In the absence of serious injury, Martino concluded the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction to continue its investigation. The file has been closed.
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.
