2 officers in Hwy 401 wrong-way crash won't talk to SIU

Ontario's police watchdog shared more information Wednesday on the status of its ongoing investigation into a wrong-way police car chase on the Highway 401that resulted in the death of four people,including an infant,in April.

In a release, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said thatthe two officers who are being investigatedhave not agreed to an interview or provided their duty notes.

On its website, the SIU saysthis is within their legal right, as once an officer becomes the focus of an investigation, they'regiven the same opportunity as citizens under the Charterto protect themselves from self-incrimination.

The agency also said it's currently interviewing 19 officers, known as witness officials, who wereinvolved in the collision. In May, days after the crash, the SIU saidonly four witness officialswere designated.

The SIU is also speaking with civilian witnesses. So far, it said 36 have been identified and interviewed. It also says it has more than 100 videos related to the crash gathered from cars,drones, body-worn cameras, the Ministry of Transportation and civilians.

The April 29 crashhappened aftera police chase that began with an alleged liquor store robbery inBowmanville, Ont., in the regional municipality of Clarington. Police pursued the suspectas he drovethe wrong way on Highway 401 in Whitby, about 50 kilometres east of Toronto.

WATCH |Witness video of chase showscargo van speeding past traffic on wrong side:

Deadly crash following police chase going wrong way on Highway 401

5 months ago

Duration 2:25

Four people are dead, including an infant and two grandparents, following a high-speed police chase going the wrong way on Highway 401 outside of Toronto. Witness video of the chase shows a cargo van speeding past traffic on the wrong side.

That chase ended in a fatal collision that involved at least six vehicles, according to the SIU, and devastated an entire family. The crash killedAditya Vivaan, who was three-months-old, and his grandparentsManivannan Srinivasapillai andMahalakshmi Ananthakrishnan, who were visiting from India.

Vivaan's parents and residents of Ajax,Gokulnath Manivannan, 33,and his wifeAshwitha Jawahar, 27, survived the crash with serious injuries. The SIU confirmed Wednesday Jawahar has been released from hospital.

Therobbery suspect, a 21-year-old man, was also killed.A 38-year-old man who was in the suspect U-Haul vanremainsin hospital, the SIUconfirmed Wednesday

Seven investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the investigation.