News Release
SIU Lays Charges against Toronto Police Officer
Case Number: 17-TCI-098
Other News Releases Related to Case 17-TCI-098
SIU Lays Additional Charges in Case Where Man in Whitby Sustained Serious Injuries
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has caused charges to be laid against a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer in relation to the injuries sustained by a 19-year-old man during an interaction in Whitby in December of 2016.
The SIU was notified of the incident on April 27, 2017 by the man’s lawyer. The Unit’s investigation found the following:
- At approximately 2 a.m. on December 28, 2016, a TPS off-duty officer was involved in an interaction with the man in the area of Thickson Road and William Stephenson Drive.
- Officers with the Durham Regional Police Service arrived and arrested the man.
- The man was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with serious injuries.
As a result of the SIU investigation, TPS Constable Michael Theriault is facing the following charges under the Criminal Code:
- One count of aggravated assault, contrary to section 268;
- One count of assault with a weapon, contrary to section 267(a); and
- One count of public mischief, contrary to section 140.
The officer was arrested by the SIU on July 18, 2017 and subsequently released and required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 150 Bond Street in Oshawa on August 10, 2017.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment.
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