News Release
SIU Investigation Determines Police Did Nothing to Cause or Contribute to Man’s Death; Bolton Investigation Terminated
Case Number: 18-PCD-222
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-PCD-222
The Acting Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 43-year-old man in July of 2018.
At approximately 1:50 p.m. on July 23, 2018, an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police Caledon detachment attended the Giant Tiger store parking lot on Queen Street South in Bolton after receiving a call about a man inhaling a substance in a vehicle. The officer located the man in a vehicle, and quickly realizing that the man was in need of medical attention, the officer requested an ambulance. Upon their arrival, paramedics took control of the man’s care. The man was conscious and breathing at this time, and responded to questions from the paramedics. The man was subsequently transported to hospital for treatment. At about 4:30 p.m., the man was pronounced dead.
Acting Director Martino said, “While the cause of the man’s death has yet to be determined, it is evident on the record that the police did nothing to cause or contribute to his demise, much less is there any question following the SIU’s preliminary inquiries of any want of care on the part of the police prior to the paramedics’ arrival that could conceivably attract criminal liability. Accordingly, this investigation is terminated.”
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