News Release
Woman Jumped from Bridge in Odessa; No Basis to Lay Charges Against Officers who Tried to Save Her
Case Number: 21-PCI-053
On February 20, 2021, an 18-year-old woman jumped from a bridge in Odessa, suffering very serious injuries in the process. As two Ontario Provincial Police officers had interacted with her prior to the fall, the SIU was notified and opened a file. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that either officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s 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