The province's police watchdog has found London police acted within the law while chasing a vehicle wanted in connection with an armed robbery moments before it crashed.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) had been investigating the White Oak Road and Westminster Drive collision since it happened on October 8 of last year.
The incident began when London police were called about an armed robbery in which the suspects were confronted by construction workers near the South London Community Centre on Bradley Avenue. The suspects took off in a pickup truck and crashed into two police cruisers while trying to get away.
A police officer chased the suspect vehicle for roughly 20 seconds before the pursuit was called off. Two minutes later, the driver of the pickup lost control at a curve in the road and rolled into the ditch. The truck's passengers were ejected in the crash.
Three people were hurt in the crash, including a 23-year-old man who was taken to hospital in critical, but stable condition.
The SIU determined the truck was being driven around 142 km/h to 161 km/h when it came to the bend in the road. The posted speed limit in that location is 60 km/h.
Prior to beginning the short-lived pursuit, police had information that the pick up had also been involved in an armed LCBO robbery in Strathroy earlier in the day.
"Given the gravity of the crimes the vehicle’s occupants were suspected to have committed, and their brazen nature, concerns that the truck would attempt to flee police apprehension were well-founded," SIU Director Joseph Martino said in his final report into the incident.
Evidence showed the officer did not endanger the lives of anyone nearby while giving chase, said Martino.
"I am unable to reasonably conclude that the subject officer, in the course of an active engagement with the truck over about 1.5 kilometres, transgressed the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law. Accordingly, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file is closed," Martino concluded.
