News Release
No Basis to Lay Charges in Relation to Newmarket Arrest
Case Number: 19-OCI-006
On the afternoon of January 3, 2019, York Regional Police received a 911 call from a Newmarket LCBO store reporting a theft in progress. Officers were dispatched to investigate. Upon arriving in the area, an officer observed the man running on the street and followed him in his cruiser. Another officer ran toward the man and tackled him to the ground. The man was arrested. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any officer in relation to the serious injuries sustained by the man in the course of his apprehension – a dislodged front upper tooth and fracture to the back of his skull.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations