Police watchdog probes death of Texas man who fell off overpass during chase

BROCKVILLE, Ont. — Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a Texas man who they say fell from a highway overpass to his death while fleeing from officers on Saturday.

The Special Investigations Unit says the incident happened at about 10:15 a.m. in Brockville, Ont., when local police saw a “person of interest” on the overpass.

They say that as officers approached, he “fled and went over the guardrail,” and landed on a highway on-ramp.

The agency says he died after being taken to hospital.

The SIU has not given his name, but say he is a 56-year-old from Houston, Texas.

The SIU is an arm’s-length agency that is automatically called in to investigate reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2020.

The Canadian Press