The director of Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has found no grounds for criminal charges against a Windsor police officer involved in a September arrest that left a 38-year-old man with serious facial injuries.
SIU Director's Decision Released
In a decision released on January 8, 2026, SIU Director Joseph Martino concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence. The investigation stemmed from an incident on September 11, where the arrested man sustained fractures to his orbital bone and nose.
Martino wrote that he was satisfied the officer was legally justified in arresting the individual for the reported break-and-enter. The SIU, an independent civilian agency that probes police incidents involving death, serious injury, or sexual assault allegations, has now closed its file on the case.
Details of the September Arrest
The situation unfolded around 8:40 p.m. on September 11, when Windsor police were called to a residence in the area of Cabana Road East and Walker Road. The call was for a reported break-and-enter, where a man had allegedly demanded the homeowners' vehicle and assaulted one of them.
Officers located the complainant, who was reportedly in a drug-induced psychosis, sitting in the driver's seat of a GMC Terrain parked in the garage. According to the SIU report, the man vigorously resisted arrest.
The report states the individual kicked the officer at least twice in the chest and punched him in the forehead. In response, the officer used force, striking the man twice.
Use of Force and Injuries
The SIU's account indicates the resistance continued even after the man was removed from the vehicle. At one point, the man had his arms wrapped around the officer's waist. It was then that the officer deployed his conducted energy weapon (CEW).
Following the arrest, the 38-year-old was taken to hospital. Medical examination revealed he had suffered multiple facial fractures, including breaks to his orbital bone and nose.
In his analysis, Director Martino determined the officer's actions, including the use of force, were legally justified given the level of resistance encountered during the arrest attempt for a serious offence. He found no basis to proceed with criminal charges, leading to the clearance of the Windsor officer.
