News Release
Investigation into Man Seriously Injured After Fall at Dryden Motel is Completed
Case Number: 23-PCI-461
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the broken feet suffered by a 32-year-old man while trying to flee police last November in Dryden.
On November 5, 2023, officers responded to a 911 call that was disconnected. The call was traced to a room at the Chalet Inn Motel on Government Street. No one answered the door. The man exited the rear door of the room. Officers attempted to talk to the man and urged him not to jump when he climbed over the railing. The man fell to the ground below. The man was arrested for being in violation of a release order that prevented him from being with his girlfriend. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with fractures of both feet.
Director Martino concluded that there was simply no time or opportunity for the officers to have done anything to prevent the man’s descent. He noted that once on the ground, the officers acted promptly to arrange for medical care.
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES