19-year-old pedestrian dead after collision involving OPP cruiser in Essex County

[Michael Jack]

A 19-year-old woman is dead following a collision between a pedestrian and an OPP cruiser in Essex County early Sunday morning.

The collision happened just before 4:30 a.m. on County Road 20 near Iler Road near Harrow, according to a news release from the province’s Special Investigations Unit.

An OPP officer from the Essex County detachment was driving. The woman was taken to hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

The SIU is investigating the incident and are asking anyone with information or footage of the event to contact investigators.

Two investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist are assigned to the case.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ ... -9.6963845

[Michael Jack]

Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating the circumstances of a 19-year-old woman’s death in Essex County.

The Special Investigations Unit says just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday, an Ontario Provincial Police officer from the Essex County detachment was driving on County Road 20 near Iler Road when there was a collision involving a pedestrian.

The SIU says the woman was taken to hospital and pronounced dead shortly after.

The SIU says two investigators, two forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the case.

The SIU asks anyone with information, including videos or photos, to come forward.

The SIU is an independent agency that investigates when the actions of police may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, and/or a shooting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2025.

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/ont ... e3809.html

[Michael Jack]

Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating after a 19-year-old woman was fatally struck by an OPP officer early Sunday morning in Essex County.

The incident occurred around 4:25 a.m. on County Road 20 near Iler Road in Harrow. According to Essex County OPP, an officer from the local detachment was involved in a collision with a pedestrian. The woman was taken to hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced dead.

The SIU confirmed the officer was not responding to a call at the time of the incident. The agency has assigned two investigators, two forensic specialists, and a collision reconstructionist to the case.

With the SIU’s mandate now in effect, OPP cannot release additional details. The SIU is asking anyone with information, photos, or video of the incident to contact investigators.

The SIU independently investigates police actions that result in death, serious injury, sexual assault, or the firing of a weapon at a person.

Update – The 19-year-old woman is identified to be Mendy Goossen of Harrow, Ontario.

https://www.edgelegal.ca/news/siu-inves ... ex-county/

[Michael Jack]

The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has invoked its mandate following a fatal collision involving an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer and a 19-year-old pedestrian early Sunday morning in Essex County.

According to a news release from Essex County OPP, at approximately 4:25 a.m. on Sunday, a member from the Essex County Detachment of the OPP was involved in a collision involving a pedestrian on County Road 20 near Iler Road in Harrow, in the Town of Essex.

The SIU says the pedestrian, a 19-year-old woman, was transported to hospital by EMS where she was pronounced deceased.

In an email, an SIU spokesperson said, “the officer did not appear to be en route to a call for service.”

Two investigators, two forensic investigators, and one collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the case.

As a result, the SIU has invoked its mandate, and OPP will not be able to provide any further information.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online.

The SIU is an independent authority responsible for investigating the conduct of officials, such as police, that resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, or the discharge of a weapon at another person.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/article/ ... p-officer/

[Michael Jack]

The province’s Special Investigations Unit is looking into the circumstances of a collision involving an officer with the Essex County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police that led to the death of a pedestrian.

The fatal incident occurred Sunday morning at approximately 4:25 a.m., on County Road 20, east of Iler Road in the Town of Essex — a stretch of rural roadway not lit by streetlights.

Police officials said the pedestrian was transported to hospital by Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services paramedics, where they were pronounced deceased.

No other details were released by police, including whether the pedestrian was male or female.

A subsequent news release from the SIU said it was a 19-year-old woman who died.

The SIU’s preliminary information is that “at about 4:25 a.m. on November 2, an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer from the Essex County Detachment was travelling on County Road 20 near Iler Road when there was a collision involving a female pedestrian.

“EMS was called and transported the woman to hospital where she was pronounced deceased this morning,” the release said.

Two SIU investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the case.

Late Sunday morning, several vehicles, including an OPP cruiser with its lights flashing, could be seen parked on and off the roadway about half a kilometre east of Iler Road.

County Road 20 was closed to vehicular traffic between the Arner Townline and Iler Road Sunday while the investigation continued.

As a result of the SIU investigation, the OPP said no further information will be provided by police.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police and peace officers that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about the investigation, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online at https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php

Sunday’s collision follows a fatality Sept. 17 on County Road 20 at the McCain Sideroad, east of the Arner Townline, in Kingsville.

A 43-year-old male cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene following a collision late that night between the cyclist and a passenger vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle was physically unharmed.

jkotsis@postmedia.com

https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news ... rian-death

[Michael Jack]

Mendy Goossen, 19, was killed in a crash on Sunday involving an OPP cruiser

Like many young women, Mendy Goossen wanted to travel to Paris and New York, to see the world’s most famous art galleries, work on her art and maybe one day become a director.

The 19-year-old died after she was struck by an OPP cruiser in the early morning hours Sunday.

Her brother, Alex Goossen, remembers his sister as quiet but creative and full of love.

“She's my best friend, probably the best friend anybody could ask for," he said. "She was not the right person to go so soon."

The youngest of four children, Mendy was born in Ethiopia and was adopted when she came to Canada in 2010 at the age of four, according to her obituary.

Alex, also adopted into the family before Mendy, said when he was little, he was at times jealous of his new little sister.

“I didn't know what I'd do with her,” he said. “Now that she's gone, I don't know what I'd do without her."

Goossen says his sister had a depth of perception and creative streak that set her apart.

Lately, his sister had wanted to turn to directing as a career, with a growing interest in video editing.

"She loved looking at art. She could see things that a lot of us couldn't,” he said. “You know, I go to an art museum and I just see pictures on a wall. But she saw the depth inside the art and the feelings from a painting that a lot of us don't get.

“She just had a whole world of imagination.”

Goossen says his sister was always around when he needed her, for lunch or coffee outings, something he always appreciated.

“She was there and she didn't say a lot. But now that she's gone, there's a big hole there."

The single-car crash happened around 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning on County Road 20 near Iler Road in Harrow, and an OPP officer from the Essex County detachment was driving.

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is handling the investigation because it is a police-involved incident that involves a death.

A spokesperson said there were no updates to share Thursday and that the investigation is still in early days.

Goossen said that was his understanding of the investigation, too. But he doesn’t have any ill will towards the police involved in the crash.

"I'm not sure what happened other than she's gone,” he said. “Everybody's human, right? So it could be police. It could be anybody.”

Goossen says there’s been an outpouring of support from the community in the wake of his sister’s death. He said her friends have been in touch, telling him stories about his sister.

The family is also thankful for the support of their church, funeral home and extended family, he added.

“I would have never expected that. Especially my sister, she would have never realized she made such a big impact on so many people,” he said. “I'm amazed. I've been very happy for the community."

Visitation and funeral services are set to be held Friday morning.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ ... -9.6970008

[Michael Jack]

A 19-year-old woman was pronounced dead in hospital following the crash

Ontario's police watchdog has cleared an Essex County OPP officer of wrongdoing in a crash that claimed the life of a 19-year-old woman last fall.

According to the province's Special Investigations Unit, an officer was travelling on County Road 20 on Nov. 2 in the early morning. East of Iler Road, a woman "apparently walked out from a cornfield into the path of [the officer's] OPP Tahoe."

While the officer steered his cruiser to the right he was "unable to avoid contact," according to the SIU, a body that investigates instances of serious injury, death or sexual assault allegations involving police.

"The front of his vehicle struck the person and propelled her a distance west of his cruiser," said SIU director Joseph Martino said in a decision, as paramedics and other officers arrived on scene.

The woman wasn't named in the decision, but has been identified by family as Mendaye Goossen.

The woman had a serious head wound and was unconscious as the officer began first aid. He called for an ambulance and other officers and EMS arrived on scene.

The officer was on duty, but not responding to a call at the time of the incident and had been travelling back to the OPP detachment in Essex.

In the investigation, SIU investigators looked at the car's GPS data as well as in-car recordings, as well as damage to the car.

The car's data shows that the officer was travelling between 100 and 110 km/h, above the posted 80km/h limit, and that the officer "aggressively" applied to the brakes and steered to the right.

But the decision also notes the car's speed wasn't posing an undue risk to public safety given the flat and dry road conditions.

"It might have been that the [officer] would have had more time to react had he been travelling slower, but that is speculation in large measure as it appears the complainant had waited to the last second before entering onto the roadway," the SIU decision reads.

The decision also notes the officer was clearly paying attention and had attempted to steer around the woman.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ ... -9.7111677

[Michael Jack]

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit determined an OPP officer will not be charged after a 19-year-old pedestrian was struck by a police cruiser.

SIU Director Joseph Martino said there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s death.

On Nov. 2, 2025, an OPP officer was travelling west on County Road 20 East, heading to the OPP detachment in Essex.

The SIU report says east of Iler Road, a woman moved out onto the westbound lane from the northside ditch. The officer steered his cruiser to the right but was unable to avoid contact. The front of his vehicle struck the woman.

The officer exited his cruiser and began to administer emergency first-aid. Additional officers arrived on scene, as did paramedics.

The 19-year-old woman was transported to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The Harrow woman was identified as Mendy Goossen by her family.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/article/ ... sex-crash/

[Michael Jack]

The province’s police watchdog has cleared an Ontario Provincial Police officer of criminal wrongdoing in connection with the death of a Harrow teenager struck by a police cruiser in the Town of Essex last November.

In his report released Monday, Joseph Martino, director for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, concluded that, aside from travelling above the posted 80 km/h speed limit, there was no evidence the officer failed to “comport himself with due care” while operating his cruiser.

“His speeds, in the range of 100 to 110 km/h as he approached the scene of the collision were unnecessarily high but there is no indication that they created an undue risk to public safety,” Martino wrote.

The Special Investigations Unit, a civilian law enforcement agency that probes police actions leading to death or serious injury, was called in to investigate after a 19-year-old woman was hit and killed by an OPP cruiser.

According to the report, at 4:22 a.m. on Nov. 2, 2025, the officer was driving westbound on Country Road 20, just east of Iler Road in the town of Harrow, when a woman walked out from a cornfield into the path of the officer’s Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle.

“The subject officer was on-duty operating an OPP Tahoe with subdued markings,” read the report. “He was travelling west on County Road 20 East on his way back to the OPP detachment in Essex.

“A distance east of Iler Road, a person moved out onto the westbound lane from the northside ditch. The officer steered to the right but was unable to avoid contact. The front of his vehicle struck the person and propelled her a distance west of his cruiser.”

Martino said the officer immediately stopped his cruiser and began searching for the woman. He located her on the roadway and started administering emergency first aid.

She had sustained a “serious” head wound and was unconscious, the report said.

The woman, later identified by the Windsor Star as Mendaye “Mendy” Goossen, was transported by paramedics to Erie Shore HealthCare in Leamington where she was pronounced deceased.

A pathologist who conducted the autopsy said the preliminary view was that the death was attributable to multiple trauma.

The SIU report stated evidence that the officer was focused on the roadway ahead and saw the woman step into traffic, attempting to steer around her.

Martino noted it is possible the officer might have had more time to react had he been travelling at a lower speed, but described that as largely speculative.

The evidence, the SIU director stated, suggested the woman entered the roadway at the “last second,” leaving little opportunity for the officer to avoid the collision.

“There are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the complainant’s death,” Martino said.

“There is no basis for proceeding with charges in this case.”

mholmeshill@postmedia.com

https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news ... arrow-teen