News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Arrest in Toronto in Relation to Stolen Semi Truck
Case Number: 25-TCI-023
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the fractured left wrist suffered by a 46-year-old man in Toronto. On January 20, 2025, officers were dispatched to 160 Queen’s Plate Drive for a report of a stolen Volvo semi that had been tracked to that location.
The man refused to open the door and attempted to drive away with the hood of the truck up. He struck two cruisers before he was blocked by the driver of a tractor trailer. The man was taken down to the ground by officers and punched in the upper body. He was handcuffed and taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with what appeared to be an old fracture of the left wrist, possibly reaggravated during his arrest.
Director Joseph Martino accepted that the officer’s conduct was justified by the need to immediately bring the man under control in light of his reckless and violent behaviour with the tractor, and the possibility that he was armed. In arriving at this conclusion, he was mindful that the law does not expect officers in highly charged circumstances to measure their force to a nicety.
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