OttawaOntario’s police watchdog says there are no grounds to charge a provincial police officer with dangerous driving after a car he was chasing crashed into a truck and pole on Ottawa’s Star Top Road this summer.Watchdog was investigating Star Top Road crash in JulyCBC News · Posted: Nov 04, 2025 10:23 AM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe Special Investigations Unit is not recommending charging an Ontario Provincial Police officer with dangerous driving for a crash in Ottawa in July. (Yvon Theriault/Radio-Canada)Ontario’s police watchdog says there are no grounds to charge an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer with dangerous driving after a car he was chasing crashed into a truck and pole on Ottawa’s Star Top Road this summer.Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was called to investigate the OPP officer the evening of July 4. In its report, the agency said the officer was driving east on Highway 417 going about 90 km/h around 6:20 p.m. when the driver of a black Ford Taurus passed him on the right.The officer turned his lights on as both drivers exited onto Innes Road, then the Taurus driver accelerated onto the shoulder to pass a truck.The Taurus driver turned north onto Innes Road and started passing vehicles on the left, the report said. They had the accelerator on the floor and were going around 140 km/h when they unsuccessfully tried to pass a turning delivery truck, crashing into it and then a pole.The officer was stopping his chase around when the crashes happened, according to the report.WATCH | Surveillance video from Star Top Road:The moments before a speeding driver crashed into a truck and a pole in OttawaOntario’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating after a speeding car that OPP had attempted to stop on Highway 417 crashed into a truck and a pole on Star Top Road. The SIU said the driver fractured his face and ankle, suffered a traumatic brain injury and tore arteries in his neck. He survived and faces multiple charges.His passenger fractured her toe and cheekbone. It was their serious injuries after the officer started pursuing them which triggered the SIU investigation into whether the officer could be charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, ultimately deciding not to recommend charges.The SIU said the officer was right to try to stop the Taurus driver for speeding and properly considered public safety when starting and stopping his chase.
No criminal charge for officer following driver who hit truck, pole
