Police action deemed appropriate

SiRT releases report regarding motor vehicle accident

The province’s independent Serious Incident Response Team released a report Monday regarding a motor vehicle accident that happened earlier this year.

The accident, on Feb. 28 on Johnson Road near North Sydney, occurred after a member of the Cape Breton Regional Police attempted to locate a car seen driving erratically.

Around 11:15 p.m., police witnessed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed, almost losing control, on King Street in North Sydney. The officer lost sight of the vehicle after turning around to follow it.

According to the report, the officer drove along King Street and then to Johnson Road in an effort to locate the vehicle, with the speed average of 50 kilometres.

The SiRT report says the officer discovered the car overturned on Johnson Road just past Lakeside Cemetery. The three occupants of the vehicle were found on the side of the road. The driver suffered a serious injury to his hand and had three fingers amputated.

SiRT says facts show there was no pursuit of the car and that the officer proceeded in a prudent fashion in the search for the vehicle — therefore there will be no charges against the police officer.

SiRT says the accident appeared to have been caused because the driver of the vehicle was impaired by alcohol and that the speed was 130 kilometres prior to the accident.

The driver of the vehicle has since pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and flight from a police officer.

A full copy of the report is available at sirt.novascotia.ca.