MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - The Special Investigations Unit says the death of a 23-year-old woman who crashed after a police pursuit in Vaughan, Ont., was "tragic" but the officer involved committed no crime.
The provincial agency says it has reviewed the facts and concluded there are no grounds to believe the York regional police officer committed a criminal offence.
Maria Christina Valvis Rocha died Jan. 7 after an officer tried to pull her over for a licence plate violation on Bathurst Street, at about 7 p.m.
The civilian police watchdog says evidence shows Rocha was "intent on fleeing" when she sped away.
It says the officer began a brief pursuit in his cruiser, but soon ended it due to public safety concerns.
Minutes later, it says, Rocha died of "significant head trauma" after her Toyota Echo mounted a curb and crashed into a utility pole.
