News Release
No Criminal Charges Warranted in Relation to Arrest of Man in St. Catharines
Case Number: 18-OCI-024
On January 31, 2018, a vehicle being operated by a 24-year-old man was involved in a collision in St. Catharines. After the driver fled the scene, the vehicle became stuck in a snowbank. The man left the vehicle and was later located and arrested by Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) officers. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any NRPS officer in relation to the serious injury sustained by the man during his arrest.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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