Divers recover man's body who drove into Georgian Bay after 'interaction' with OPP

Barrie, Ont. -

OPP divers recovered the body of an 80-year-old man after the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says he drove into Georgian Bay following an "interaction" with a provincial police officer.

The SIU's report released Thursday evening states that an OPP officer stopped the driver for a suspected Highway Traffic Act violation.  It did not specify what the violation was.

The agency said the officer and the man "conversed before the man entered the water in his vehicle."

Provincial police and the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit scoured the waters near William Street and Bayshore Drive Thursday afternoon.

Dan Czindl witnessed the moment two police cruisers arrived at the launch and said while he wasn't quite sure what was going on, the two officers jumped into action, diving into the chilly water.

"I thought for sure it was just somebody that went into the water, and they were trying to save him. I wasn't 100 per cent sure," he said.

The man's body was found at approximately 6:49 p.m.

"They were trying to get him out," Czindl recalled. "They haven't seen him come up, and at this point in time, there's no indication that he's around. It took them a while to find the van."

Still, Czindl credits the police for their quick actions. "Got to commend the two officers that jumped in the water. I don't know if I could have done it."

The SIU investigates circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.