News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Woman’s Injury in Cruiser-Involved Collision in St. Catharines
Case Number: 23-OVI-080
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into a reported broken right forearm suffered by a 27-year-old woman who was travelling with a Niagara Regional Police Service officer in his cruiser.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, on March 13, 2023, the woman was in the front passenger seat of the cruiser as she was paired with an officer and working as part of a mental health unit. While travelling north on Welland Avenue, en route to a robbery call, the cruiser was involved in a collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Dieppe Road. The woman was taken to hospital and initially diagnosed with a possible hairline fracture; however subsequent imaging confirmed that it was not broken. As the woman did not sustain a ‘serious injury’ within the terms of the SIU mandate, this leaves the SIU without statutory jurisdiction to investigate.
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