GREENSTONE - On March 18, the 30-year-old man, whose name hasn’t been released to the public, was reported to have suffered severe injuries due to a rollover collision after the vehicle travelled over a tire deflation device set up in Greenstone by Ontario Provincial Police officers.
The man was sent to the hospital due to a possible shoulder injury; however, the extent of the damage was more severe. He was then diagnosed with a small air pocket between his lungs and bruising of connective tissue in his abdomen.
After an investigation, the Special Investigation Unit deemed neither of the man’s injuries constituted a “serious injury”; therefore, the Special Investigation Unit closed the case.
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 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