News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Hospitalization of Man Lodged in Cell in Sarnia
Case Number: 22-OCI-217
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the drug overdose of a 33-year-old man in Sarnia in August.
In the early morning of August 27, 2022, a Sarnia Police Service officer stopped a bicyclist due to a Highway Traffic Act infraction. In the course of their interaction, the officer located and seized a quantity of various drugs from the man’s person, including fentanyl and cocaine. The man was transported to the police station and subject to another search prior to being lodged in cells. Later that morning, when it appeared that he was unwell, Emergency Medical Services was summoned, and the man was transported to hospital. He was treated for a drug overdose and released days later.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of the video footage of the man’s time in custody, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued at this time. The custody footage made clear that the man did not consume any illicit substances in cells – they would have had to be ingested prior to his arrest. The footage further indicated that the man was regularly checked by police personnel while in his cell, and that medical assistance was arranged promptly upon the first signs of distress. On this record, there was manifestly nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any officer was concerned vis-à-vis the man’s overdose. 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