News Release
No Basis to Charge Police Officers in Emo for Interaction with Truck Driver Resisting Arrest
Case Number: 19-PCI-101
In the afternoon of May 2, 2019, the Ontario Provincial Police received 911 calls reporting a drunk driver operating a pickup truck. Officers were dispatched to investigate the matter and located the pickup truck stopped in the middle of Vandrunen Road just north of Highway 11 in Emo. The driver, a 51-year-old man, was found asleep in the driver’s seat. A struggle ensued, and the man was eventually arrested. The man attended a health clinic the following day and was diagnosed with a fractured left elbow and forearm. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges in relation to the man’s serious injuries.
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