News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Arrest of a Man in Stratford
Case Number: 20-PVI-315
On November 19, 2020, at around 6:00 a.m., two Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in Stratford responded to a call for a 41-year-old male who was found to be "passed out" in the driver's seat. When the police officers approached the vehicle, the man drove off and into a corn field where he remained for some time. Additional police officers arrived and set up containment around the field. The man eventually drove out of the field and struck several police cruisers that were unattended on the road. A spike belt was deployed, and the man drove over it. As a result, the man’s vehicle eventually became disabled a short distance away. After the arrest, the man was transported to hospital and subsequently diagnosed with serious injuries.
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined that the officers comported themselves with due care and regard for public safety in their participation in the events resulting in the man’s arrest, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. The file is closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1373
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