News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Toronto Police Officers and Man’s Drug Overdose
Case Number: 22-TCI-133
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the May arrest of a 37-year-old man by Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers, and the man’s subsequent hospitalization for a drug overdose.
On May 22, 2022, the man drove recklessly in a state of paranoia. While traveling on Midland Avenue, the man’s vehicle struck another vehicle head-on and came to a rest. While in his vehicle, the man consumed cocaine and fell unconscious. Emergency personnel arrived on scene, including members of the TPS Emergency Task Force. They had been deployed as the man had reportedly indicated to the first officer on scene that he had a gun. He was extricated from his vehicle, taken to hospital and treated for a drug overdose.
Director Martino found the police played no role in the man’s drug consumption and resulting overdose, leaving patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer involved. Accordingly, the file has been closed.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES