HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s police watchdog has cleared an RCMP officer of wrongdoing in connection with a single-vehicle crash near Lunenburg that killed a man last year.
The Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) cleared the Mountie of any misconduct following a fatal car crash after a high-speed chase on Nov. 22.
The accident happened after an officer tried to pull over a vehicle believed to be speeding on Cornwall Road in Blockhouse.
According to the investigation, the car was going faster than 130 kilometres per hour when it crashed into a ditch, killing the only occupant — a 23-year-old man from Lunenburg County.
The team says it determined the police cruiser was well behind the car at the time of the accident and there were no grounds to lay charges. Investigators checked for three possible offences: dangerous driving, careless and imprudent driving and speeding.
“I think the key in this was the police have a difficult role when they are attempting to stop vehicles,” says SIRT director Ron MacDonald. “They have to determine whether it’s appropriate to pursue or whether it’s not.
“In this case, it was a relatively short period given it was a relatively small road and a relatively short period of time. The cause of the accident really was the unfortunate reaction of the driver”
2nd report results and charges
SIRT released another report regarding a sexual assault claim again a Halifax Regional Police officer.
Const. Dennis Kelsey was accused of assaulting a woman on July 6. Throughout the investigation, SIRT used forensic evidence and witness testimony to find reasonable grounds to charge the officer and arrested him on Aug. 20.
Kelsey has pleaded not guilty and will appear in Halifax Provincial Court on Nov. 17.
*with files from Rebecca Joseph and The Canadian Press
BELOW: Read the full reports
Comments