KINBURN – An Ottawa police officer was cleared of wrongdoing following the outcome of a police pursuit, called off midway, that ended in a collision killing two people near the Panmure exit of Highway 417.

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) were called in to investigate after a July 7 crash on Highway 417 left a 62-year-old woman and 36-year-old man dead.

Following its investigation, the SIU said an Ottawa police officer spotted a vehicle of interest, a Honda Civic, on July 7, and chased it along Highway 417 in the Ottawa area. 

Further down the road, the Civic crashed head-on into two other vehicles, killing the 62-year-old driver of one and seriously injuring the driver and passenger of another. 

The 36-year-old driver of the Civic also died as a result of injuries suffered in the collision. 

The director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the pursuing officer either caused or contributed to the collision, or drove dangerously in violation of the Criminal Code.