News Release
No Charges in Man’s Death due to Drug Overdose in Owen Sound
Case Number: 22-OOD-252
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OOD-252
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe that an Owen Sound Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of a 57-year-old man. On September 26, 2022, the man was released from custody, and about 20 minutes later went into medical distress at a nearby Tim Hortons. He was pronounced deceased in hospital due to a drug overdose.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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