Investigation details events leading up to Sudbury woman's death in a collision with OPP boat
A 49-year-old Sudbury woman who was killed in a tragic collision with a police boat June 7 on Nepewassi Lake was told to remain in a residence on an island until police returned to pick her up.
But sometime after 2 a.m., she got into a boat without any navigational lights and ended up colliding with a police boat that didn't see her "until it was too late."
That's the findings of an investigation into police actions by the province's Special Investigations Unit, which included a full reenactment of the collision. The SIU has cleared police of wrongdoing in the death.
It emerged that a man called Ontario Provincial Police at 9:43 p.m. June 6 and asked officers to come and remove a woman from his residence on the island. He said the woman had pushed him down the stairs.
But in the background, the OPP communications operator heard the woman say, "that the (man) had hit her (twice) in the face and asked whether he told the police he had hit her," the SIU investigation said.
The OPP boat was dispatched at 12:33 a.m. to the island on the lake, arriving at 12:53 a.m. After a brief investigation, they arrested the man and took him to the mainland for processing, the SIU said.
OPP officers told the woman to wait in the residence for them to return.
"She was to remain at the property and await the return of the officers, who would transport her to shore on their arrival," the SIU said.
A 49-year-old woman was killed Friday morning when a boat she was riding in on Nepewassi Lake collided with a boat being driven by Ontario Provincial Police in Sudbury. (Lyndsay Aelick/CTV News)
There is a recording of police telling the woman they would come back for her, telling her "to stay inside and await their return. (The officer) asked her if she had any questions, and she did not."
However, the woman texted a family member just after midnight and told them that the man had turned off the power at the residence and that her phone was almost dead.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
In another text to a family member, she said police had taken the man away in "cuffs and left, told me nothing and I am sitting in the dark with no idea."
'Do I come get you?'
At 1:33 a.m., she texted the male suspect and said, "I am still sitting here in the dark wtf cops told me nothing and y’all just left what am I supposed to do now."
"What am I supposed to do?" she texted the man at 1:44 a.m., promising to bail him out and asking, "why did you all just leave and tell me nothing or why."
"Do I come get you?" she texted at 2:02 a.m.
Police were returning with the male suspect to the island not long after 2 a.m. and were 200-300 metres from the shore when the crash occurred.
The aluminum boat the woman was driving didn't have navigational lights and it's not clear whether the flashlight she had with her was visible when the collision with the OPP boat took place, the SIU said.
The OPP officer radioed in that the woman "had a four-inch laceration to her forehead, which bled. A bandage and direct pressure were applied to the wound," the SIU said.
"The (woman) was breathing but unresponsive when spoken to. The (officer) asked if an Ornge air ambulance was available. The dispatcher advised the Ornge air ambulance was out of service for the evening."
Traumatic brain injury
Paramedics arrived at 3 a.m. and the woman was taken to Health Sciences North with "polytrauma, including severe traumatic brain injury."
She died at 2 p.m. in hospital.
In clearing police, SIU Director Joseph Martino said the police officer acted with "due care and regard for public safety while engaged in the exercise of his duties in the time leading to the collision."
"The (officer), an experienced marine vessel operator with the OPP, had his navigational lights on and was proceeding safely by all accounts when the collision happened," Martino wrote.
"Regrettably, the boat in which the (woman) was in did not have any navigational lights and ought not have been in the water at that time of night. It would appear on the evidence, both testimonial and forensic (including a re-enactment of the incident), that (her) vessel was simply not visible until it was too late."
Martino said the case is now closed. The full release, including the incident narrative, can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING MPs debate Poilievere's motion of non-confidence in PM Trudeau
MPs debated the first non-confidence motion of the fall House of Commons sitting today, seeing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre push once again for a snap election. But with votes secured to keep them afloat, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were quick to turn the discussion into a referendum on the Conservative alternative.
EXCLUSIVE Image released of mysterious object shot down over Yukon in 2023
An image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023 has been obtained by CTVNews.ca.
Couple in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., awarded more than $500K for enduring life with hellish neighbour
We've all had neighbours we didn't like, but two people from Sault Ste. Marie have been awarded more than half a million dollars for the 'extreme' behaviour of the people who lived next to them.
Boosting Canadian seniors’ benefits would cost a 'chunk of change,' says PBO
Canada’s budget watchdog says the federal government may not meet its fiscal anchors if it acquiesces to the Bloc Quebecois' demand to expand seniors benefits in exchange for keeping the minority Liberals in power.
Ontario woman seen in viral video of Porsche theft now facing more charges
An 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in a caught-on-video incident in Mississauga earlier this month is now facing auto theft charges in Toronto.
Premier Danielle Smith announces plan to change Alberta Bill of Rights
Premier Danielle Smith says she plans to reinforce the right to decide whether to receive a vaccination or other medical procedure in changes to the Alberta Bill of Rights.
Trump mixes up the name of Charlottesville, Virginia, during his speech in Georgia
Donald Trump flubbed the name of Charlottesville, Virginia, while going off script during a speech on Tuesday otherwise focused on economic policy, slamming U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris for lying about 'Charlottestown.'
Guilbeault calls out Poilievre over 2023 fundraiser with oil and gas executives
Steven Guilbeault accused Pierre Poilievre of catering to his 'rich friends' in the oil and gas sector by pushing a policy to scrap carbon pricing.
Police arrest five people in Spain over fake Brad Pitt scam after two women lost US$362,000
Police in Spain have arrested five people accused of scamming two women out of 325,000 euros (US$362,000) by pretending to be Hollywood star Brad Pitt online.