SIU investigating crash of vehicle that 'refused to stop' for police

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating a police chase and crash here that sent two people to hospital.

On Jan. 18 at about 2:35pm Wellington County OPP officers attempted to stop a vehicle that police say was previously involved in a gas theft at Pioneer gas bar in Minto.

The vehicle was originally spotted on the 12th Line in Minto, but "the driver refused to stop," police said in a press release.

While travelling eastbound on the 3rd Line of Wellington North, just south of Mount Forest, "the driver lost control and rolled the vehicle into the north ditch," police say.

The driver of the vehicle, a 31-year-old male of no fixed address, suffered back injuries. An 18-year-old female passenger from Listowel, who was ejected from the vehicle, sustained serious internal injuries.

"Both remain at the Hamilton General Hospital for treatment," SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said in a Jan. 19 press release.

Citing the ongoing SIU investigation, neither Wellington County OPP nor Western Region OPP officials would confirm that an OPP vehicle was in direct pursuit of the suspect vehicle at the time of the crash.

Sideroad 3 West was closed from Wellington Road 6 to Highway 6 during the investigation, which also involved Wellington County OPP and the OPP Western Region Technical Traffic Collision Investigation team.

Anyone who may have witnessed this incident is asked to contact the lead SIU investigator at 416-622-2290 or 1-800-787-8529 extension 2290.