Ontario’s police watchdog has initiated an investigation following the discovery of a deceased 24-year-old individual in the snow after a car accident in the southern part of Ottawa on Friday night. The incident occurred on Bank Street, located between Morningside Avenue and Boyd Road, near the Vernon rural community.
According to a statement released on Sunday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) disclosed that Ottawa police had been called at 11:30 p.m. regarding a minivan rollover. Despite an initial search, law enforcement did not find anyone in or around the vehicle and consequently left the scene. However, the following morning, a police officer returned to the site and located the deceased individual buried under the snow nearby.
Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for the SIU, mentioned that the investigation is focusing on the possibility that Ottawa Police Service officers were present in the vicinity at the time of the individual’s death. The identity of the deceased person has not been revealed.
The SIU has deployed three investigators and one forensic expert to handle the case, with plans for a post-mortem examination scheduled for the upcoming week. The SIU specializes in probing incidents involving law enforcement and civilians that result in severe injuries, fatalities, or allegations of sexual misconduct.
Simultaneously, the Ottawa police have launched their own investigation and are seeking information from witnesses who observed the crash or possess dashcam recordings.
