An Ontario Provincial Police officer has died following a crash on Highway 401 in Cobourg on Monday evening.
Police say they were called shortly after 5:30 p.m. to reports of a single-vehicle motorcycle collision on the eastbound lanes near Burnham Street North. The officer involved was pronounced dead at the scene.
He has been identified as 33-year-old Sgt. Brandon Malcolm, who joined the OPP in June 2020. He was a member of the OPP’s precision motorcycle unit and had built his career in the Northumberland detachment. OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique confirmed he was on duty and travelling eastbound at the time.
The OPP says it is supporting the officer’s family and acknowledging the significant impact of the loss, while the circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
A separate incident nearby, involving two police vehicles and a stopped civilian car, happened as officers responded to the scene. Three officers were taken to hospital as a precaution and later released, with no additional injuries reported.
Highway 401 was shut down in both directions between Highway 28 in Port Hope and Burnham Street North as emergency crews responded. Motorists were advised to avoid the area. The highway later reopened just before 5:00 a.m.