News Release
No Charges Against Brantford Officer After Cyclist Suffers Broken Tibia in Collision
Case Number: 21-OVI-336
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Brantford Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a fractured tibia suffered by a 47-year-old man after he was struck by a police minivan while riding a motorized bicycle last October.
In the afternoon of October 6, 2021, the officer struck a bicyclist while making a right-hand turn from Colborne Street on to Echo Street. The officer provided assistance to the man before paramedics arrived and transported him to hospital.
Director Martino concluded that the officer was largely responsible for the collision. However, he concluded it was a momentary lapse of attention that does not give rise to criminal liability. Accordingly, the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES