News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Death in Long Sault
Case Number: 22-PCD-187
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-PCD-187
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe three Ontario Provincial Police officers committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of a 66-year-old man in Long Sault.
On July 22, 2022, the man failed a breath test while at a RIDE program Highway 401 and Moulinette Road. While being advised of his arrest by officers from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Detachment, the man fled from the scene in his truck. One of the officer’s hands was stuck in the truck’s door handle and was dragged a short distance. Officers pursued the man. The man continued to flee until he failed to negotiate a right hand turn from Eamon Road to Gravel Pit Road and entered a corn field. Officers later located the man in the truck in the field. One of the officers ordered the man to get down on the ground. He refused and resisted as three officers removed him. The man was unsteady on his feet and fell to the ground. He continued to resist on the ground and was handcuffed.
Within moments of his arrest, the man struggled to breathe. Officers uncuffed him and placed him in the recovery position. Shortly after, the man became unresponsive and officers provided medical care. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
While the man’s cause of death remains pending at this time, Director Martino was reasonably satisfied that the man’s death was not attributable to criminal conduct on the part of the officers involved, leaving no basis for proceeding with criminal charges. 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
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Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES