No charge for officer in life-threatening pedestrian crash in Brampton

Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared a Peel police officer of a dangerous driving charge in a crash that sent a woman to hospital with a fractured spine in Brampton.

The crash happened on Jan. 12 when Peel Regional Police said a 29-year-old female pedestrian was hit by a vehicle while crossing Central Park Drive near Hilldale Crescent. It was later revealed the vehicle was a Peel police cruiser being driven by a male officer at 59 km/h in a 50 km/h zone just before the crash, according to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit.

An investigation by the SIU found that the woman suffered a brain bleed and a fractured spine in the crash and was transported to hospital in life-threatening condition. A 23-year-old male pedestrian was also injured in the collision, with the SIU saying both of the victims “tumbled to the ground” in the crash.

The officer reportedly told another cop at the scene that he had “clipped” a bicycle in the crash, but witnesses told investigators no bicycle was involved in the incident. A witness to the crash also told investigators the victims had been “running across the street all willy-nilly.”

And while the SIU found evidence that the officer was driving up to 67 km/h minutes before the collision, Director Joseph Martino says there are no grounds for a dangerous driving causing bodily harm charge

He said the officer’s actions show more of a “momentary lapse of attention” rather than “a marked departure from a reasonable standard of care.”

“In this regard, it should be noted that the (officer’s) speed, which was only modestly above the 50 km/h speed limit at the time, does not appear to have contributed to the collision,” Martino said in his decision.

The SIU is the independent civilian government agency that investigates the conduct of police officers which may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, and the discharge of a firearm at a person.