Ontario SIU finds ‘evidence of misconduct’ after Ottawa man’s body not found until hours after crash

One person died in a collision on Bank Street, south of Vernon. Jan. 24, 2026. (Maddison de Varennes/CTV News Ottawa)

Ontario’s police watchdog has discontinued its investigation into a fatal crash in rural south Ottawa in January but says the city’s police chief should undertake a code of conduct investigation into the matter.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) invoked its mandate on Jan. 25, after a man’s body was found in the snow the morning after a crash on Bank Street near Morningside Avenue.

The crash had occurred the night of Jan. 23, and a passing motorist called Ottawa police. The officers who first attended the scene did not find the victim and left the scene. His body was found the following morning when police returned to the area.

In a news release on Monday, the SIU said an autopsy revealed the victim would have been dead by the time police arrived, and therefore the officers’ actions did not contribute to his death. The SIU investigation was subsequently discontinued.

However, SIU Director Joseph Martino referred the matter to Police Chief Eric Stubbs for an internal investigation.

“Director Martino identified what appeared to be evidence of misconduct by the officers who initially attended the scene in connection with their investigation of the collision, in contravention of section 19 of the Police Code of Conduct,” the SIU said. “Director Martino will be referring the matter to the Ottawa Police Service Chief of Police and, further to section 35.1 of the Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019, to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency.”

Section 19 refers to performance of duties and says an officer shall not, by act or omission, fail to perform duties appropriately without lawful excuse if, at the time, they know or ought to know the act or omission would amount to a failure to perform their duties.

The crash

The SIU says the man was travelling southbound on Bank Street after 8 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2026. The autopsy revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit at the time.

“Approximately five seconds before the collision, his vehicle was travelling at about 170 km/h on Bank Street, approaching Morningside Avenue in a 60 km/h zone. The man lost control of the Caravan. South of Morningside Avenue, the vehicle crossed into the northbound lane and shoulder before entering the snow-covered east-side ditch. The man was ejected from the vehicle and suffered catastrophic injuries that resulted in his death. The time was about 8:20 p.m.,” the SIU said.

A passing motorist saw the crash scene at 9:43 p.m. and called 911. Officers were dispatched to the scene at about 10:13 p.m. After searching the vehicle and the surrounding area without locating anyone, they left the scene at about 11 p.m., the SIU said.

The man’s fiancée called police the following morning, saying he had yet to return home. Upon arrival at the scene, an officer found the man’s body partially buried in the snow in a ditch several metres from the van.

The victim was identified by family members as Cole Misner, 24, a fiancé and a father of two.