Midland OPP officer involved in fatal collision won’t be charged
The Southern Georgian Bay OPP officer who struck and killed a 35-year-old man in Midland on Sept. 29 has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing.
The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded its investigation into the fatal collision on Dec. 23, reporting it found no basis to proceed with criminal charges.
“While there are reasonable grounds to believe that the officer, particularly with respect to her speed in bad weather and lighting conditions, operated her cruiser in a dangerous fashion, (SIU director Joseph Martino) is not satisfied that the officer’s transgressions on balance rose to the level of criminal conduct,” stated the report.
Just after midnight on Sept. 29, a 35-year-old Pembroke man and a friend were walking on Highway 12 near the Jones Road intersection. As they were crossing the street diagonally toward the southeast corner of the intersection, an OPP officer operating a police SUV entered the intersection and struck the man.
The officer had entered the intersection on a green light.
Despite life-saving efforts by the officer, other police officers and paramedics, the man was declared dead at the scene.
Four investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist from the SIU were assigned to the case. The intersection was blocked off until 2 p.m. on Sept. 29 to allow for a thorough investigation.
The report notes the officer had been speeding prior to the collision. The vehicle's speed was between 72 kilometres per hour, which was just before impact, and 76 km/h, which was just after impact. The posted speed limit at the intersection is 60 km/h.
The man's body was thrown 27 metres and came to rest on the grass east of Jones Road.
The SIU found no evidence of pre-impact braking.
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