News Release
Man’s Hand Injury Due to Punching Cell Door; SIU Terminates Quinte West Investigation
Case Number: 20-PCI-056
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 34-year-old man last month while he was lodged in a police station cell in Quinte West.
In the morning of March 12, 2020, Ontario Provincial Police officers arrested the man on the Dixon Drive Bridge for being intoxicated in a public place. Once he was brought to the station, he became assaultive towards the police officers and subsequently was charged with resist arrest, assault police and uttering threats. The man was escorted by police officers to a cell and once the cell door closed, the man delivered a punch to the door. He complained of pain, and was subsequently taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a hand fracture.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, which included a review of the video recording of the man’s time in police cells, it is evident that the man fractured his right hand when he punched the plexiglass portion of the cell door. In the circumstances, there is patently nothing to further investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned in connection with the man’s injury, and the file is closed.”
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