News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Facial Fracture Suffered During Arrest in Toronto
Case Number: 24-TCI-546
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the fractured right orbital bone suffered by a 28-year-old male. On December 20, 2024, police officers sought to arrest the man in the area of Finch Avenue West and Pearldale Avenue for drunk driving after he had been located asleep behind the wheel in a live line of traffic.
The man struggled and tried to break free from the grasp of officers when an officer forced him to the ground. The officer struck the man in the head while the man refused to surrender his right arm. There was evidence the man bit the officer’s right arm.
While Director Joseph Martino accepted that the man’s fracture was incurred in the altercation that marked his arrest, more than likely the result of one or more of the subject official’s punches, there were no reasonable grounds to believe the injury was attributable to any unlawful conduct on the part of the officer.
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 (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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