Ontario's Special Investigations Unit says there are no reasonable grounds to charge a Thunder Bay police officer with any criminal offence in connection with a fatality in May.

Martin John Amos, 67, died after a stolen pickup truck collided with his vehicle on Northern Avenue. An autopsy found he succumbed to internal injuries and a fractured skull.

Police subsequently charged a 20-year-old man with criminal negligence causing death and with possession of stolen property.

The SIU said the suspect tried to elude police by driving the vehicle at excessive speed. He later lost control of his vehicle. It was determined the suspect was solely responsible for the fatal collision.

It was noted the officer driving the cruiser pursuing the man did not activate the emergency lights or the siren during the pursuit, even though an earlier news release from the SIU stated that the officer had activated his emergency lights.

“The weight of information gathered in this investigation suggests that the subject officer was not engaged in a suspect apprehension pursuit in the material moments leading up to a fatal collision between the suspect’s vehicle and the one being driven by Mr. Amos," said Ian Scott, director of the Special Investigations Unit.

Three SIU investigators and three forensic investigators probed the circumstances of the incident. The SIU said the subject officer exercised his right to decline a request for an interview, and did not provide his duty notes. He did provide a prepared statement, however.

Five witness officers and four civilian witnesses were interviewed by the investigators.

The SIU is an arms-length agency that investigates incidents involving police where there has been a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.