News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Broken Ankles Suffered by Woman in Hamilton
Case Number: 21-OCI-357
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OCI-357
SIU Investigating Serious Injuries Suffered by Woman in Interaction with Hamilton Police Officers
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the broken ankles suffered by a 26-year-old woman while she fled police last month in Hamilton.
On October 22, 2021, the Hamilton Police Service went to a residence on Hilda Avenue. The woman fled and jumped over a porch railing to the ground below - a descent of between one and two metres. As a result of the impact with the concrete ground, she broke both of her ankles. The woman was arrested.
Director Martino concluded that the woman was solely responsible for her injuries, and that there was patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned. The file was 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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES