A Saskatchewan watchdog agency has concluded no charges will be laid against an RCMP officer following a high-speed collision that left a 16-year-old seriously injured on Kawacatoose First Nation last spring.
In a report released March 11, Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) determined the officer’s actions did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence after reviewing the April 8, 2025 incident.
According to the report, Punnichy RCMP were responding to multiple emergency calls around 9:59 p.m. describing what was believed to be a firearms-related disturbance, including reports of a possible “shootout” at a residence on Kawacatoose First Nation.
Two officers, travelling in separate marked police vehicles with lights and sirens activated, were en route to the call when the incident occurred.
At approximately 10:12 p.m., the lead vehicle stopped after a teen male standing near the roadway signalled for assistance. As the officer in the lead vehicle came to a stop and began speaking with the teen, the second police vehicle approached from behind at high speed.
SIRT’s investigation found the trailing vehicle had been travelling between 113 km/h and 128 km/h before braking, and was still moving between 75 km/h and 94 km/h at the moment of impact.
Unable to stop in time and attempting to avoid rear-ending the lead vehicle, the officer swerved into the opposite lane—where the teen had stepped—and struck him.
The youth was thrown into the ditch and suffered serious injuries. Officers immediately called for emergency medical services and provided first aid until paramedics arrived. The teen was later airlifted by STARS to a Regina hospital.
SIRT’s investigation included analysis of in-car video, body camera footage, witness interviews, 911 recordings, and a collision reconstruction. Mechanical inspections also confirmed the police vehicle was in proper working condition at the time of the crash.
While the speeds involved were described as excessive under normal circumstances, SIRT found they were justified given the urgency of the call involving a potentially life-threatening situation.
The report also noted environmental factors, including dust kicked up by the lead vehicle on the gravel road, which may have obscured visibility and delayed the trailing officer’s ability to react when the first vehicle stopped suddenly.
Ultimately, SIRT concluded the officer’s actions did not represent a “marked departure” from the standard expected of a reasonable police officer responding to an emergency.
“There are no grounds to believe that the Subject Officer committed any Criminal Code offence,” the report states.
As a result, no charges will be laid and the file has been closed.
