News Release
No Charges Warranted in Death of a Man Found Intoxicated in Downtown Grand Bend
Case Number: 15-PCD-167
Other News Releases Related to Case 15-PCD-167
The Director of Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has found that an Ontario Provincial Police officer with the Lambton Detachment “acted responsibly” during an interaction with a man who was found dead hours later.
The SIU assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. The subject officer did not participate in an SIU interview, as is his legal right. He did provide a copy of his duty notes.
The investigation found the following:
- In the early morning hours of July 26, 2015, Ontario Provincial Police officers were patrolling the area around Main Street in Grand Bend.
- The officers encountered a 52-year-old man who appeared to be intoxicated but coherent.
- Officers attempted to secure a taxi to take the man home.
- When they could not locate a taxi, the subject officer drove the man home and left him in the care of his mother.
- Around 4:30 a.m., the man’s mother found him without any vital signs and she called an ambulance.
- A post-mortem later determined the man died of multidrug toxicity (drug overdose).
SIU Director Tony Loparco said, “I am satisfied that the subject officer conducted himself with due care and regard for the health and safety of the man at all times. Concerned with the man’s intoxicated condition, the officer took it upon himself to ensure the man made it home safely by escorting him in his cruiser. Once there, the officer left the man in the care of his mother before leaving to rejoin his partner.
“In the circumstances, I am unable to find fault with any aspect of the subject officer’s decision-making, and I am satisfied that the officer acted responsibly throughout in the discharge of his duty to protect and preserve life, and that there are therefore no grounds for proceeding with charges in this case.”
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