News Release

On October 5, 2025, an OPP officer arrested a man from a residence in Dryden. The man was unsteady on his feet and gave the appearance of being intoxicated. The man remained unsteady during his booking at the Dryden OPP Detachment. He acknowledged having consumed alcohol, but denied drug use and said that he was not injured. As there were cautions on the man’s police records for suicide, his clothing was removed and he was dressed in a smock. He was placed in a cell. He was restless and agitated for periods of time, and lay still on his cell bunk at other times. When he asked to be taken to hospital at one point, an officer turned the request down. At one point, he was removed from his cell to be fingerprinted. Hours later, the man fell from his cell bunk and appeared to experience a seizure on the floor. Police personnel responded and rendered aid to the unresponsive man. Paramedics transported the man to hospital where he was pronounced deceased. 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 death. 

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):