News Release
Man Injured After Falling from Tree; SIU Terminates Simcoe County Investigation
Case Number: 20-PCI-077
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the injury sustained earlier this month by a 35-year-old man in Adjala-Tosorontio, a township in Simcoe County.
On April 8, 2020, Ontario Provincial Police officers were dispatched to a residence in Adjala-Tosorontio for a domestic-related call. When police arrived, the 35-year-old man fled into a wooded area at the rear of the property and climbed up a tree to hide from police. When the officers left the area, the man started to climb down the tree but he fell to the ground. The man returned to the residence and was arrested. When he complained of pain, the man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with two fractured ribs.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, it is apparent that there is patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned in connection with the man’s injuries. The investigation has established that the man hurt himself when, after climbing a tree to hide from police officers seeking his arrest, he fell from a height as he attempted to climb down. There were no police officers present at the time.”
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