Ontario's law-enforcement oversight agency has concluded its investigation of an incident early this summer.
On June 22, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were in Thedford handling a suspected impaired driving incident.
According to the report by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the officers blocked the driver's pickup truck with their cruiser, which prompted the driver to angrily leave the truck and confront the officers. After the officers informed the 67-year-old man that they were investigating possible impaired driving, the man tried to return to his vehicle. The officers then brought the man to the ground.
During the struggle, one of the officers punched the man in the head before he was handcuffed and brought to his feet. The man was released soon after, but the following day, went to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion.
SIU Director Joseph Martino concluded that while the man was punched by an officer, it was not done in a way that warranted criminal charges.
"On this record, I am unable to reasonably conclude that a single punch was beyond the pale. Following the punch, the complainant was handcuffed, and no further blows were struck by the officers," wrote Martino. "For the foregoing reasons, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges on this case. The file is closed."
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
