Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has concluded that the OPP were not at fault in the deaths of Rachel Merredew and Jacob Sabourin. The two Kingston residents were killed May 3 when the car they were in crashed into a hydro pole on Memorial Avenue in Orillia.
SIU spokesperson Frank Phillips says this was an extensive investigation into the whole incident.
The SIU assigned eight investigators, three forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to the investigation. The scene was measured, photographed and a diagram was prepared.
The reconstructionist collected technical data and compiled a report. The route of the pursuit was traced and surveillance video was analyzed from several businesses.
A video recording of part of the pursuit which had been posted on the social network, YouTube, was obtained and examined by data recovery technicians
Phillips says the subject officer discontinued the pursuit at the request of the Communications Centre supervisor.
Finally, there is no suggestion of contact between the pursued and pursuing vehicles.”
The report concludes that Sabourin lost control of his vehicle after driving in a dangerous manner in an attempt to flee from the police.
