London police officers cleared of charges in high-speed chase that sent 4 to hospital: SIU

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says no charges will be laid against members of the London Police Service following a high-speed chase that resulted in four people sustaining serious injuries earlier this year.

The SIU said officers were looking for a white Jeep believed to be connected to “an act of violence,” including shots fired in the city’s Kipps Lane area on the night of Feb. 26. Investigators recalled multiple 911 calls in the report, describing a group of suspects wearing ski masks who entered the Circle K variety store at 1050 Kipps Lane and fired a gun into the air. One of the suspects also had a knife.

According to the report, the suspects fled before police arrived. However, officers later spotted the Jeep travelling south on Adelaide Street North, where police attempted to pull the vehicle over. The suspects continued to flee and police gave chase.

The SIU said the Jeep was travelling upwards of 140 km/h when it “slammed” into a Honda HR-V after passing through a red light at the intersection of Kipps Lane and Adelaide Street North.

All three occupants of the Jeep were seriously injured as well as a passenger in the Honda, according to investigators.

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Joseph Martino, director of the SIU, said in a statement that he “found no reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the collision,” noting that the officer closest to the crash was too far away to have caused it directly.

“Nor does it appear that the (officer) travelled at reckless speed or otherwise endangered the motorists around him,” Martino said.

“I am satisfied that the officer comported himself with due care and regard for public safety,” he said, adding that the officer had his emergency equipment activated and “topped out at about 90 km/h.”