Special Investigations Unit spokesperson Monica Hudon speaks to the media at the Henry Street overpass in Whitby on Tuesday morning after the SIU invoked its mandate to investigate the circumstances surrounding a multi-vehicle collision that killed four people just west of the bridge in the eastbound lanes of the 401 at 8:10 p.m. on Monday. The crash occurred following a police chase that started in Clarington.
Both lanes of Highway 401 through Durham Region have reopened on Tuesday morning after four people, including an infant, died following a police pursuit on Monday night that ended in Whitby with a multi-vehicle crash and fatalities.
‘We’ll be getting communications, recordings, interviews to figure out when and why’: SIU spokesperson on investigation into death of 4 in tragic Hwy. 401 police chase in Whitby
‘We are going to look into the pursuit, when it started, where it started, what transpired, what made up the pursuit, and taking a look at policies and things like that’: SIU spokesperson
The SIU says it will try to uncover details about the police chase that went westbound on Highway 401 on Monday night and left grandparents and an infant dead.
Special Investigations Unit spokesperson Monica Hudon speaks to the media at the Henry Street overpass in Whitby on Tuesday morning after the SIU invoked its mandate to investigate the circumstances surrounding a multi-vehicle collision that killed four people just west of the bridge in the eastbound lanes of the 401 at 8:10 p.m. on Monday. The crash occurred following a police chase that started in Clarington.
Tim Kelly Metroland
Special Investigations Unit spokesperson Monica Hudon speaks to the media at the Henry Street overpass in Whitby on Tuesday morning after the SIU invoked its mandate to investigate the circumstances surrounding a multi-vehicle collision that killed four people just west of the bridge in the eastbound lanes of the 401 at 8:10 p.m. on Monday. The crash occurred following a police chase that started in Clarington.
Colin Williamson photo
Both lanes of Highway 401 through Durham Region have reopened on Tuesday morning after four people, including an infant, died following a police pursuit on Monday night that ended in Whitby with a multi-vehicle crash and fatalities.
The Special Investigations Unit is invoking its mandate after the tragic crash on Monday night following a police chase that resulted in the death of two grandparents and an infant on Highway 401 in Whitby.
The chase, which began in Clarington after the Durham Regional Police Service was alerted to an LCBO robbery in progress by an off-duty police officer, resulted in a cargo van being driven westbound in the eastbound lanes of the 401 as police pursued the driver. The driver of the cargo van and a 60-year-old, 55-year-old and infant were all killed in the crash, which took place just west of the Henry Street overpass.
Monica Hudon, SIU spokesperson, said DRPS officers were alerted to “a robbery at an LCBO in Clarington” at 7:50 p.m. last night. The crash happened at 8:10 p.m.
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She said officers from the DRPS made their way to the scene and located “a vehicle of interest, a cargo van. Officers followed the cargo van through numerous streets in Durham Region. At Stevenson Road, the cargo van entered the 401, travelling in the wrong direction, travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes. Shortly after there was a multi-vehicle collision involving at least six vehicles.”
Hudon confirmed the deaths of the four people at the scene and said one other person was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
She did confirm that an off-duty officer was at the LCBO in Clarington at the time of the robbery.
“The information that I have is that it was an off-duty officer at the LCBO who became aware of the robbery and relayed that to DRPS, who then dispatched investigators to the scene.”
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Hudon said the SIU currently has assigned five investigators to the incident and one forensic investigator, as well as one crash reconstructionist.
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Asked if, at any time, the pursuit of the cargo van was called off, Hudon said that would be part of the SIU’s investigation.
“Every situation is different and, as part of the SIU’s investigation, we are going to look into the pursuit, when it started, where it started, what transpired, what made up the pursuit, and taking a look at policies and things like that. We’ll be getting communications, recordings, interviews, to figure out when and why,” she said.
She added that “The investigation is in its early, early stages and I’m not in a position to speculate as to what may or may not have happened or what was or what was not appropriate. The SIU will conduct a thorough investigation which will involve many interviews with many people and the examination of a lot of evidence and paperwork and policies to determine what happened and what needs to be done next. So, a thorough investigation will have to take place before the director really makes any decisions.”
Hudon appealed for information, asking individuals to call 1-800-787-8529 or go to www.siu.on.ca and share with any photos or videos regarding the incident.
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