Ontario’s Special Investigation Unit, a civilian oversight body that investigates incidents involving police which result in serious injury, has determined that a Hamilton Police officer acted in accordance with the law when they attempted to pull over a stolen vehicle in an incident that ended with the operator crashing and injuring themselves.
At 11:38 p.m. on July 23, 2025, a Hamilton Police officer was driving on King Street East at Sherman Avenue when the cruiser’s Automatic Licence Plate Reader identified a stolen vehicle. The officer safely followed the vehicle while awaiting confirmation from a dispatcher that the vehicle was, in fact, stolen. Upon receiving confirmation, the officer activated emergency lights to stop the vehicle.
The suspect fled. Approximately one block away, the vehicle collided with a taxi cab. “The driver of the taxi was fortunate to have escaped serious injury,” a SIU report states.
The subject officer and another officer immediately rendered aid. The suspect “was removed from the wreckage and transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a sternal fracture.”
The SIU, in a report signed by Director Joseph Martino, states:
“It is also apparent that the officer comported himself with due care and regard for public safety through his brief engagement with the complainant. He activated his emergency lights to signal the complainant to pull over, travelled at reasonable speeds, obeyed the rules of the road and was well back of the Honda when it entered the Aikman Avenue and Sanford Avenue South intersection and collided with the taxi. Seeing the collision, he and his partner approached the scene and rendered aid.”
The file has been closed.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: November 10, 2025
Last updated: November 10, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version