Seriously injured during a chase: police did not commit an infraction

The Director of criminal and penal proceedings (DPCP) concludes that Chateauguay police and Kahnawake Peacekeepers did not commit a criminal infraction during a police chase that took place on June 1, 2017. The fleeing man had been seriously injured. The Office of Independent Investigations had to produce a report on what happened. At around 1 a.m. on June 1, 2017, two ambulance attendants noticed a vehicle whose driving was erratic on the territory of Chateauguay police. Two people were on board the white car which did not bear a licence plate. ‘When the police officers sufficiently suspected the fact that the driver had weakened faculties, they turned on the rotating headlights to intercept him, the DPCP describes in its communique. But the vehicle accelerated and outdistanced the police officers. The siren was activated. The suspect vehicle continued to accelerate up to about 75 km/h. The police let the vehicle get further away.’’     Wjen the suspects entered Kahnawake territory, a Peacekeepers patrol car took up the chase. The Chateauguay police officers followed behind. ‘’The suspect vehicle zig-zagged, encroached into the oncoming lane and overtook other vehicles. Its speed climbed to about 100 km/h and made steering and counter-steering manœuvres,’’ the DPCP indicates. The fleeing car skidded and struck ‘’in a frontal manner the facade of a restaurant-bar.’’ ‘’The police chase lasted from one to two minutes. At no time during the chase did the driver attempt to apply the brakes or slow down,’’ it was observed. The driver sustained a trauma to his spinal column. The two occupants of the vehicle were transported to hospital. The toxicology report reveals that the driver had an alcohol rate of 109 mg/100 ml of blood when the limit permits less than 80 mg/100 ml. No criminal infraction on the part of police   According to the DPCP, the police did not commit any infraction of dangerous driving, because they notably assured themselves of leaving enough space between them and the suspect vehicle. The lights and sirens were also very visible from the start of the chase. The two occupants of the vehicle pleaded guilty to charges in this case. (translation : Dan Rosenburg)