Tsuut'ina officer cleared after driver being sought by police slammed into oncoming traffic, killing man
Driver fleeing police sped wrong way down Calgary road and killed Keith Morley, 52, from Turner Valley
A Tsuut'ina Nation police officer did not contribute to or cause the death of a motorist in a February 2016 collision in Calgary, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) said Tuesday.
The finding comes following an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash that resulted in the death of 52-year-old Keith Morley of Turner Valley.
Morley died after a stolen truck fleeing police collided with his Toyota Corolla on the 37th Street bridge over Fish Creek. The stolen truck was travelling south in the northbound lanes.
- Keith Morley died 'way before his time,' says nephew after teen pleads guilty to role in fatal crash
The collision followed a police pursuit initiated by the officer, who attempted to make a traffic stop after the truck narrowly missed hitting officers standing on a road assisting someone.
Rather than stop, the truck fled at high speed and entered Calgary city limits.
ASIRT determined that the officers "had the lawful authority both to attempt to stop the truck, and to pursue it after the driver failed to stop."
When the truck didn't stop, ASIRT says, the officer took active steps to de-escalate the situation, including "deactivating the police vehicle's emergency equipment and disengaging."
Prior to the crash, the officer discontinued his or her pursuit, coming to a complete stop.
ASIRT executive director Susan D.Hughson determined that no criminal charges would result from the officer's actions.
The officer's name was not released.
Derek Grouette, the driver of the stolen truck, pleaded guilty in October 2016 to causing the deadly crash.
He was sentenced to six years in prison.
In June 2016, the underage son of a Calgary police officer who was involved in the hit and run pled guilty to his role in the crash.
In May 2016, Janelle Umpherville pleaded guilty to a number of charges connected to Morley's death — including theft and being in a stolen vehicle.