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Director's Report Details
PUBLIC REPORTS

SIU Director's Report - Case # 26-OCI-016

Warning:
This page contains graphic content that can shock, offend and upset.
Contents:

Mandate of the SIU
Information Restrictions
Mandate Engaged
The Investigation
Evidence
Incident Narrative
Relevant Legislation
Analysis and Director's Decision
News Releases for this Case:
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man's Broken Orbital Bone During Arrest in Niagara Region
French:
Ce rapport est en voie de traduction. La version française sera publiée dès que possible.

Mandate of the SIU

The Special Investigations Unit is a civilian law enforcement agency.

Mandate Engaged

This report relates to the SIU's investigation into the serious injury of a 34-year-old male (the "Complainant").

The Investigation

Notification of the SIU

On January 12, 2026, at 6:09 a.m., Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) contacted the SIU with the following information.

On January 11, 2026, at 8:58 p.m., police officers were requested to attend a residence in the area of Ontario Street and Welland Avenue, St. Catharines, regarding an incident of intimate partner violence. The Complainant was taken to the ground and arrested at 11:17 p.m. The Complainant was taken to Niagara Health System - St. Catharines (NHSC) and, at 5:21 a.m., diagnosed with a fractured orbital bone.

The Team

Date and time team dispatched: 2026/01/12 at 6:40 a.m.

Date and time SIU arrived on scene: 2026/01/13 at 11:12 a.m.

Number of SIU Investigators assigned: 3

Number of SIU Forensic Investigators assigned: 0

Affected Person (aka "Complainant"):

34-year-old male; interviewed; medical records obtained and reviewed

The Complainant was interviewed on January 13, 2026.

Subject Official

SO Declined interview, as is the subject official's legal right; notes received and reviewed

Witness Officials

WO #1 Interviewed; notes received and reviewed
WO #2 Interviewed; notes received and reviewed
WO #3 Not interviewed; notes reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary
WO #4 Not interviewed; notes reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

Evidence

The Scene

The events in question transpired in the area in front of doorway of a shed on a residential property located in the area of Victoria Avenue North and North Service Road, Lincoln.

Materials Obtained from Police Service

Upon request, the SIU received the following materials from NRPS between January 12, 2026, and January 16, 2026.

Incident Narrative

The evidence collected by the SIU, including interviews with the Complainant and police witnesses, gives rise to the following scenario. As was his legal right, the SO chose not to interview with the SIU.

Relevant Legislation

Section 25(1), Criminal Code - Protection of Persons Acting Under Authority

Analysis and Director's Decision

The Complainant was seriously injured in the course of his arrest by NRPS officers on January 11, 2026. On my assessment of the evidence, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the SO committed a criminal offence in connection with the Complainant's arrest and injury.

In the result, while I accept that the Complainant's fracture was the likely result of the SO's punch, there are no reasonable grounds to believe the injury is attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the officer. As such, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. The file is closed.

Date: May 5, 2026

Electronically approved by

Joseph Martino

Director

Special Investigations Unit

Endnotes

1) Unless otherwise specified, the information in this section reflects the information received by the SIU at the time of notification.

Note:
The signed English original report is authoritative.
