News Release
Force Used to Arrest Man in New Lowell Legally Justified; SIU Investigation Closed
Case Number: 23-PCI-190
In the morning of May 17, 2023, paramedics and Ontario Provincial Police officers attended a residence in New Lowell to check on the well-being of a 59-year-old man. Upon the arrival of officers and paramedics, the man told them to get off the property. Officers informed the man he would be arrested, and two officers grabbled him. The man pulled free. In his agitation, the man fell, landing on his back. A struggle ensued between the officers and the man, and he was eventually subdued and handcuffed. At hospital, the man was diagnosed with a fractured right wrist.
On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury. There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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