SIU clears officer in Richmond Hill hit-and-run

RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – The province’s police watchdog has cleared a York region police officer whose cruiser “came into contact” with a 30-year-old hit-and-run victim in Richmond Hill this month.

The Special Investigations Unit said there is no indication the responding officer drove in a dangerous manner.

The SIU said the man, wearing dark clothes, was walking on Yonge Street in Richmond Street at about 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 1 when he was struck by a Mercedes SUV that took off. Police have arrested the driver.

A second vehicle struck the man, lying on the roadway. The driver then pulled over to call police.

The agency said the responding officer also “came into contact” with the man, who was pronounced dead at the site of the collision.

“Whether the man was alive immediately before the subject officer’s cruiser impacted with his body is not relevant to a determination of the subject officer’s criminal liability,” SIU director Ian Scott said in a statement.

“Similar to the civilian motorist who struck the body of the man as it was lying flat on Yonge Street, the subject officer did the same thing,” he said.

“While the man no doubt died as a result of one or a combination of impacts from motor vehicles that morning, there is no information gathered in this investigation to support the conclusion that the subject officer drove in a dangerous manner.”

According the agency, the subject officer declined to be interviewed by the SIU and provide a copy of his notes, “as is his legal right.” But a forensics investigation and civilian witness interview provided ample information to determine whether the officer committed a criminal offence, the agency said.