News Release
Man’s Injuries Attributed to Misadventures Prior to Police Arrest; SIU Discontinues Woodstock Investigation
Case Number: 24-OCI-048
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 21-year-old man in February in Woodstock.
In the early morning of February 1, 2024, a Woodstock Police Service officer was in the area of Graham Street and Dundas Street when he observed a man acting in a disorderly manner. In an attempt to escape apprehension by police, the man scaled a fence and fell coming down. The man was taken into custody and later seen at hospital where he was reportedly diagnosed with fractures of the right hand and wrist.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. The man’s arrest and time in custody were uneventful by all accounts. His injuries were a result of a physical altercation he had with unknown passersby prior to any police involvement. On this record, there being no reason to believe that the man’s injuries were caused by the police, the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction to investigate the incident. 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