News Release

Man Alone was Responsible for Injury in Sudbury Cell; SIU Discontinues Investigation

Case Number: 24-OCI-395   

Mississauga, ON (15 January, 2025) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 24-year-old man in September in Sudbury.

On September 18, 2024, the man was lawfully in the custody of the Greater Sudbury Police Service, having been arrested earlier in the day on the strength of an arrest warrant. He was lodged in a cell. The man began circling the cell - from a bench on one side of the cell, to the toilet seat, and onto the bench on the other side of the cell. While moving in this fashion, the man became dizzy and fell. He landed hard on one of the benches, fracturing his left elbow in the process.  

Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that captured the incident, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. On this record, it was evident that the man was alone responsible for his injury. Accordingly, there being patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, the investigation was terminated and the file hereby closed. 

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.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES