News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Arrest of Woman Traveling Wrong Way on Highway 417
Case Number: 19-PCI-078
On the evening of April 12, 2019, Ontario Provincial Police officers were investigating the driving behavior of a 58-year-old woman who was operating her vehicle on Highway 417. When the woman began traveling west in the eastbound lanes, an officer used his cruiser to force her off the roadway. The woman was arrested, and then taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with a fracture to her lower leg. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the officer in relation to the woman’s arrest and injury.
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