Body recovered from sunken vehicle in Lake Ontario after attempted traffic stop near Napanee

Police are searching Lake Ontario near Greater Napanee after a vehicle went into the water following an attempted traffic stop. CTV’s Stefan Keyes reports.

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says the body of one person has been recovered from Lake Ontario after a vehicle crashed into the water following an attempted traffic stop in Greater Napanee.

An Ontario Provincial Police officer tried to pull a driver over on Bath Road, west of Kingston, at around 10:55 p.m. Tuesday, but the vehicle hit a ditch and crashed into Lake Ontario a short time later near the Lennox Generating Station on Highway 33 at County Road 21.

Police divers and other first responders spent Wednesday searching for the vehicle and its occupants. At the time, it was unknown how many people were inside the vehicle when it sank.

The SIU invoked its mandate to investigate because of the involvement of police in the moments before the crash.

In an update Thursday morning, the SIU said OPP divers found one person dead inside the vehicle. The individual has not been formally identified.

Roads were closed in the area all day Wednesday for the search. The OPP said all lanes reopened at around 2:40 p.m. Thursday.

The SIU continues to investigate the incident and is asking anyone with information, including video or photos, to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or online here.