An Elgin OPP officer has been cleared of any responsibility in the death of a man who drove his vehicle off a cliff into Lake Erie.
The Special Investigations Unit announced on Monday it has terminated its investigation into the June 23 incident east of Port Bruce. A preliminary investigation by the province's police watchdog found an officer from Elgin County was following a vehicle of interest on Springfield Rd. when the driver allegedly tossed an item out the window. The officer stopped to pick up the item while the vehicle continued south at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle then sped past a turnaround, drove into a field, and ended up driving off a cliff into Lake Erie.
It wasn't until minutes later that the officer who had been following the vehicle appeared at the turnaround and was directed by a witness to the spot where the vehicle plunged into the water, the SIU said.
The body of a 57-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was pulled from the water on June 24.
"The man died as a result of injuries consistent with a collision and drowning. Based on the investigation, it is clear that the man drove his vehicle at a high rate of speed across a field and unhesitatingly drove it off the cliff into Lake Erie," said SIU Director Tony Loparco. "The police officer was nowhere near the vehicle when it plunged into the lake. This investigation has been terminated as there is no evidence that the police officer was responsible for the man’s death.”
The SIU conducts criminal investigations into incidents involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.