SIU clears Toronto officer involved in fatal vehicle pursuit

The Special Investigations Unit has cleared a Toronto cop involved in a stolen vehicle pursuit that ended in a fatal crash.

In the afternoon of July 29, surveillance officers gathered in the area of Dixon Road and Kipling Avenue after getting reports of a stolen vehicle in the area, police said.

Officers say when the suspect moved towards the stolen pick-up truck, unmarked police cars tried unsuccessfully to surround the vehicle before it could drive away.

A brief pursuit ended with the stolen pick-up crashing into a concrete abutment on a Highway 401 off-ramp. The driver died on impact, police said.

An SIU investigation ensued because officers were involved in the incident.

However, SIU Director Joseph Martino said in a statement Friday night there were no reasonable grounds to establish that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s death.