Pickering, Bowmanville car crashes draw SIU appeal for witnesses

The Ontario police watchdog is asking for help from the public as it investigates two crashes in which people were injured after Durham Region officers attempted traffic stops.

Both crashes occurred during the Family Day long weekend. The most recent was in the wee hours of Monday (Feb. 20) in Pickering, and the other happened on Sunday evening (Feb. 19) in Bowmanville.

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which has the mandate to investigate when a person is injured or dies following a police interaction, describes the events in Pickering thusly:

At approximately 3 a.m. on February 20, 2023, a Durham Regional Police Service officer attempted to stop a Mercedes-Benz on Bayly Street in Pickering. The vehicle fled and the officer pursued in his cruiser. A short distance away, at Bayly Street and Brock Road, the Mercedes-Benz became involved in a collision with another vehicle. A 37-year-old male passenger from the Mercedes-Benz was taken to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

The crash in Bowmanville is described as follows:

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on February 19, 2023, a Durham Regional Police Service officer observed a motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed in Bowmanville. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the motorcycle left the scene. A short distance away, around Highway 2 and Highway 418, the motorcycle was involved in a single-vehicle collision. The 41-year-old driver was transported to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

Eyewitness accounts, dashcam, surveillance and/or smartphone videos, and photos have proven to be helpful to SIU investigations. Anyone with information about either investigation may contact the lead investigator (phone: 1-800-787-8529; online: siu.on.ca/en/appeals).

Further information about the investigations and the role of the SIU is available at siu.on.ca.