SIU to probe crash that followed attempted highway stop
Speeding driver later crashed into pole on Ottawa's Star Top Road, watchdog says
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) will determine whether provincial police did anything wrong when they tried to stop a speeding driver on the Queensway who later crashed into a pole in Ottawa.
The police watchdog told CBC News it was called to investigate the Thursday evening crash on Star Top Road east of the capital's downtown.
Its investigation so far suggests an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer tried to stop a speeding car on Highway 417 around 6:20 p.m. OPP have jurisdiction over provincial highways in Ottawa, including the Queensway.
The driver did not stop, the SIU said, and soon after exited the highway and drove into a pole on Star Top Road.
The 35-year-old male driver and a 22-year-old female passenger were seriously injured, the SIU said. As of late Friday morning the driver was still in life-threatening condition.
Ottawa police said Thursday evening Star Top Road was closed by a crash north of Innes Road, about six kilometres southeast of Parliament Hill.
The SIU examines police responses that result in serious injury to see whether officers broke any laws. It also investigates when officers are involved in a death, use of a firearm or accused of sexual assault.
With files from David Fraser