Two Toronto police officers have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing in a police chase collision that claimed the life of three teenagers in June, the province's Special Investigations Unit said.
"Following my review of the evidence obtained by this unit, I am of the view that there are no reasonable grounds to support charges against the subject officers in respect of this catastrophic and tragic case," SIU director James Cornish said in a news release on Thursday.
The collision happened during the early morning hours of June 2 at Islington and Finch Avenues, in Rexdale.
Police were chasing a stolen Acura being driven by a 15-year-old boy when the fleeing vehicle slammed into a taxi, which then collided with another taxi.
Monique McKnight, 16, and her best friend Aleisha Ashley, 17, were riding in one of the cabs. McKnight died at the scene, while Ashley died in hospital two days later.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, 15-year-old Chevon Josephs, was also killed.
The SIU investigation concluded the stolen car was travelling at least 120 km/h and ran a red light before slamming into the taxis. Police engaged in the high-speed pursuit, which lasted about 90 seconds, in response to a gun call, according to the release.
Cornish said he is "satisfied there are no reasonable grounds to believe the officers' conduct amounted to a marked departure from the standard of care that a reasonable person would have exercised."
The crash prompted renewed debate about police chases.
The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury or death.
