News Release

Man’s Fall from Rock in Jocko River Led to His Death; SIU Terminates Investigation

Case Number: 18-PCD-266   

Other News Releases Related to Case 18-PCD-266

SIU Investigating Death of Man in Nipissing District

Mississauga, ON (17 October, 2018) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 28-year-old man last month in Nipissing District.

In the morning hours of September 23, 2018, the man and a friend were hiking up a waterfall on Jocko River. The man suddenly fell from a rock and landed on the ground below. Soon after, he went unconscious. The friend performed life-saving measures, and then – because there was no cell reception – he got in his canoe and set out to locate help. The friend canoed to a house and called 911 requesting medical attention. Emergency Medical Services and Ontario Provincial Police officers attended the area. Despite attempts to revive the man, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Director Loparco said, “The man’s death resulted from medical complications arising from a fall from a large rock near a waterfall on Jocko River and had nothing to do with the conduct of the police. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
 

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

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