REPORT RAPPORT

DATE:	19 November 2002
TO:	Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board
FROM:	Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service
SUBJECT:	Report on S.I.U. Investigation - Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident

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RECOMMENDATION

That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.

BACKGROUND

As a result of a driving complaint, police officers approached a 1999 Dodge Dakota pick-up truck in the parking lot at the rear of 201 Friel Street in the City of Ottawa. The police officers pulled up behind the vehicle and activated the red roof lights. The officers then approached the truck on foot. A male who had been standing outside the truck, jumped into the driver’s seat and accelerated quickly across the parking lot, onto the grass portion and then over the curb onto Beausoleil Drive where the truck made good its escape. The officers issued a radio broadcast of what had occurred.

Shortly after, a second officer was travelling westbound on Rideau Street at Wurtemburg Street when he was almost struck by the truck proceeding at a high rate of speed. The officer made a u-turn and activated his roof lights. Due to the high speed of the truck, the officer lost sight of the vehicle for a few seconds as it crossed the Cummings Bridge. The driver of the truck lost control and on the south side of Montreal Road near Montgomery Street, struck a street lamp, telephone pole and traffic light standard. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and three of the four occupants sustained moderate injuries. The fourth occupant, being the driver, sustained serious injuries and died in hospital. Investigation revealed that the truck had been reported stolen earlier that day in Gatineau, Quebec.

Special Investigations Unit Investigation:

As a result of the injuries of the passengers and death of the driver, the Special Investigations Unit was contacted to investigate the matter.

The Special Investigations Unit concluded that based on the results of their investigation, there was no evidence to support a reasonable belief that the officer was criminally liable in the matter of the driver’s death.

Professional Standards Section Investigation:

Pursuant to section 11 of Regulation 673/98 of the Police Services Act, a parallel investigation was conducted by the Professional Standards Section to determine if the policies of or services provided by the Ottawa Police Service were adhered to prior to and at the time of this incident, and finally to determine if the conduct of the police officer was appropriate.

The Professional Standards Section sought the assistance of a Collision Investigator with the Section 11 review.

FINDINGS

The officer was travelling west on Rideau Street at Wurtemburg Street with the flow of traffic when he observed the truck travelling at a high rate of speed. The officer turned his vehicle around and activated his emergency equipment. He lost sight of the truck after it rounded the curve onto the Cummings Bridge. Once on the bridge himself, he observed the truck still proceeding at a high rate of speed. The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle and crashed into three different poles as it came to the curve to enter Montreal Road. The officer’s encounter with the truck, from the time he first observed it to the time of the collision, lasted approximately fifteen seconds.

Previous eyewitness accounts of the truck earlier in the afternoon and leading up to the first encounter with the first officer on Friel Street, and to the collision at Montreal Road and Montgomery clearly indicate that the person driving the truck was out of control and that a very serious situation existed. Reports were received that several parked cars in the lower town area had also been damaged by the truck prior to encountering the police.

From the time the truck was last seen by the first officer on Friel Street at 16:56:06 hours to the time the second officer called in the collision at 16:57:33 hours, a total of one minute and twenty-seven seconds elapsed.

This matter and its most serious consequences were carefully reviewed with respect to:

a) Conduct of the officers involved; and

b) Policies and Services of the Ottawa Police Service.

Taking into consideration the amount of time that the second officer was involved with this vehicle, fifteen seconds from first encounter to the time of the accident, this matter, technically, cannot be classified as a ‘Pursuit’ as outlined in policy. Nevertheless, “The Suspect Apprehension Pursuit” policy and the Pursuit Training Program were reviewed in detail to determine if the officer followed the acceptable process when engaging in this event.

The Professional Standards Section review of policies, practices and training has determined that all the officers involved in this incident followed proper procedures.

CONCLUSION

It is put forth that no further action be taken with respect to this tragic event.

Vince Bevan

Chief of Police