News Release

SIU Terminates Investigation in Bracebridge as Injuries Sustained Prior to Contact with Police

Case Number: 18-PCI-191   

Mississauga, ON (14 August, 2018) ---
The Acting Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 43-year-old man in Bracebridge in May of this year.  

On May 26, 2018, the man was driving a stolen vehicle which was involved in a collision on Highway 11 in the area of the Bracebridge exit.  The man fled the scene and into a nearby wooded area. As he made his way through the woods, he fell from a cliff and sustained an injury to his right ankle.  Sometime later, officers with the Ontario Provincial Police Bracebridge Detachment located and subsequently arrested the man. He was taken to hospital for examination.  

Acting Director Martino said, “The evidence establishes that the man sustained a serious injury to his ankle as a result of his fall from the cliff, prior to any contact with the police, and no serious injuries in the course of his subsequent arrest by the police officers. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident as the SIU is without jurisdiction to continue under the terms of its statutory mandate.”

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.