Ontario’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, is seeking witnesses or others with information regarding the
circumstances surrounding the death of a 24-year-old man
in Ottawa late Friday.
In a release, the agency said Ottawa Police Service officers were called at about 11:30 p.m. Friday to the crash of a minivan that rolled at Bank Street and Morningside Avenue,
The crash site is at the extreme south end of Ottawa, about 40 kilometres south of downtown.
“Officers did not locate anyone in or around the vehicle,” the SIU report says.
Attempts to locate the registered owner were unsuccessful. Subsequently, officers left the scene for the night.
An Ottawa officer returned to the crash scene Saturday morning to resume the investigation. The officer located the deceased victim beneath the snow near the crash site.
In the release, the SIU said preliminary inquiries indicated “OPS officers may have been in and around the area at the time of the man’s death.
“The SIU was notified and invoked its mandate,” the SIU memo said.
Three investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case. The post-mortem examination is being scheduled for this week.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates incidents in Ontario involving police officers resulting in death, serious injury, allegations of sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
The SIU director assesses whether there are reasonable grounds to believe officers have committed criminal offences. The director also has the authority to charge the officer, who is then prosecuted by the Crown attorney.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online at:
siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php .
