News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Serious Injury Suffered While Lodged in OPP Blind River Cell

Case Number: 25-PCI-423   

Mississauga, ON (11 February, 2026) ---
A 54-year-old man was arrested on October 19, 2025 and taken to the OPP Blind River Detachment where he was lodged in a cell. Following a video bail hearing the next day, the man was escorted back to the cell area. At the threshold of the door leading to the cells, the man walked in the direction of an employee instead of through the open cell door. An officer approached the man and pushed him away from the employee towards the cell. The man’s back banged up against the cell, pushing the cell door momentarily closed behind him. The officer and the man became involved in a struggle as the employee pulled open the cell door.  The man was pushed into the cell and the cell door closed. When the man complained of pain in his left shoulder, he was transported to a medical facility where he was diagnosed with a serious injury. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s injury.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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