News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Cochrane Arrest

Case Number: 24-PCI-325   

Mississauga, ON (25 November, 2024) ---
In the morning of July 28, 2024, a 24-year-old man was riding a bicycle in Cochrane when he observed an Ontario Provincial Police cruiser. As the man had warrants in effect for his arrest, he began to accelerate away from the cruiser. The officer operating the cruiser pursued the man and attempted to cut him off with his vehicle. The man struck the driver’s side of the cruiser and continued his flight on foot. The officer caught up to the man and brought him to ground. The man was arrested and transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures of two ribs. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injuries.

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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES