SIU investigating Markham crash that left man, 55, seriously hurt
Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating a crash in Markham on Saturday that left a man, 55, seriously hurt and that happened after one vehicle involved was followed by Toronto police.
York Regional Police said the crash happened on Highway 7, between Ninth Line and Wooten Way, around 5 p.m.
According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Toronto police officers found a "vehicle of interest" in the area of Steeles Avenue West and Bathurst Street in Toronto and followed the vehicle from Toronto to Markham.
The driver of the vehicle of interest fled through the parking lot of Markham Stouffville Hospital.
"A short time later at approximately 5:05 p.m., the vehicle, which had been traveling westbound on Highway 7, became involved in a collision with a civilian vehicle traveling eastbound," the SIU said in a news release on Sunday.
The SIU said the driver of the eastbound vehicle, the 55-year-old man, was taken to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.
York police said Highway 7 was closed between Wooten Way and Ninth Line for about 10 hours after the incident. Roads were reopened at about 3 a.m. on Sunday.
The SIU has assigned three investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist to the case.
Two Toronto police officers are the subject of the SIU investigation.
Twelve Toronto police officers and one York Regional Police officer are considered witnesses.
Anyone who may have relevant information is urged to call the lead SIU investigator at 1-800-787-8529. Anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident is urged to upload that video through the SIU website.
The SIU is an independent civilian agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
