The province’s police watchdog has not only cleared an Oxford OPP officer of any wrongdoing, but commended him for the life saving actions he took after a man became pinned under a vehicle on Hwy. 401.
The officer had pulled over a 66-year-old who was man driving a truck and trailer in the eastbound lanes, west of Sweaburg Rd. around 1:56pm on January 28 of this year. After issuing the driver a warning for not having an inspection sticker on the trailer, the officer returned to his vehicle.
But when the truck did not immediately drive away after the stop, the officer went to check on the driver and found his head pinned between the front driver's side wheel of the truck and the pavement.
According to a report issued Wednesday by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the officer quickly called for help but a transmission issue prevented the officer from pulling the truck forward. The officer then used his cruiser to ram the trailer, pushing the truck forward and freeing the driver's head.
The driver was rushed to hospital with a life-threatening head injury and was later also diagnosed with eight fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, likely from CPR administered at the scene. The driver did survive but with no memory of the incident.
The SIU report showed three investigators and two forensic investigators photographed the scene, took measurements, and conducted interviews with several civilian witnesses. An examination of the truck found the transmission cable had been separated from the transmission linkage arm and had been that way for sometime based on the dirt and debris.
It is believed the driver was unable to shift gears after being pulled over and climbed under the truck to try to manually engage the gears. At that point, the driver shifted the truck into reverse and without a second person inside to hold the brakes down, the vehicle reversed over him, pinning his head.
"Had the [driver] attempted to carry out this maneuver in the absence of the SO [subject officer], he would likely have died," said SIU Director Tony Loparco, in his report. "It was the quick thinking of the SO in calling for assistance and in then removing the deadly pressure from the complainant's head, as well as the diligence and perseverance of both officers and the civilian witnesses who stopped to assist, in continuing lifesaving techniques when it appeared that the complainant might already be dead, that ultimately saved the life of the complainant."
The SIU conducts criminal investigations into incidents involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death, or allegations of sexual assault.
