News Release
Man Injured During Attempt to Flee Police; SIU Discontinues Thorold Investigation
Case Number: 24-OCI-122
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injuries suffered by a 42-year-old man in March in Thorold.
In the early morning of March 16, 2024, the man attended his ex-girlfriend’s third-floor apartment in violation of the terms of a release order. The ex-girlfriend left the apartment and called police. On seeing the police, the man fled into a bedroom and dropped from a window to the ground below. The fall resulted in fractures to both heels and the lower bone of his right leg. Niagara Regional Police Service officers located the man, took him into custody without incident, and arranged to take him to hospital.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. No officers were inside the bedroom at the time the man did what he did. On this record, aside from serving as the catalyst for the man’s ill-fated attempt at escape, it was evident that the police did nothing in connection with his injury that could conceivably attract criminal liability. There being palpably nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned, 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