Ontario's police oversight agency has cleared an Ontario Provincial Police officer of criminal charges after a 27-year-old man suffered a fractured orbital bone during an arrest in Rockland in March. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded that the officer's use of force was reasonable under the circumstances, given the precarious position of both the officer and the suspect on active traffic lanes.
Incident details
The incident began at about 9:42 a.m. on March 20 when officers were dispatched to a report of a collision at Heritage Drive and Patricia Street in Rockland. The driver of a sport utility vehicle had reportedly left the scene of two separate collisions. At 9:50 a.m., police stopped the SUV on County Road 17. According to the SIU report, the driver displayed signs of intoxication and refused to identify himself.
An OPP officer attempted to remove the driver from the SUV, sparking a struggle. The driver grabbed the officer by the neck and tried to trip him, pushing him into traffic. The officer fell back and struck his knee. A second OPP officer who had arrived at the scene then punched the SUV driver in the face, fracturing his right orbital bone. The driver fell to the ground and was handcuffed.
SIU director's conclusion
A Special Investigations Unit statement posted online on June 24 said director Joseph Martino concluded that, although the officer had attempted to punch the man six times and the punches had been significant and had caused injury, they did not exceed what was reasonably necessary given the “precarious” position of the officer and the suspect on active traffic lanes. Martino also noted the blows stopped once the man covered his face with his hands, the report said.
Aftermath and medical treatment
Emergency medical services were called, and the SUV driver was transported to Montfort Hospital in Ottawa, where he was treated for the fracture of his orbital bone and discharged back to OPP custody. The SIU investigates police interactions that may have resulted in death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm, or sexual assault.
