News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Serious Injuries Suffered by Woman After Jumping Out Window in Barrie
Case Number: 21-OCI-380
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Barrie Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with serious injuries suffered by a 26-year-old woman after she jumped from a bedroom window last November.
In the morning of November 6, 2021, officers went to a housing complex on Georgian Drive for reports of a domestic disturbance. As they entered the unit to check on the woman’s well-being, she jumped out her bedroom window upstairs. Paramedics took the woman to hospital where she was diagnosed with a brain bleed as well as fractures to her pelvis and femur.
Director Martino found no evidence to suggest that the subject official failed to comport himself with due care and regard for public safety. 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