SIU clears Windsor police officer after man seriously injured during arrest

Special Investigations Unit. (File image)

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has concluded there are no grounds to charge an officer after a man suffered serious injuries during the course of his arrest in a south Windsor parking lot.

The SIU said the 43-year-old man was diagnosed with a broken nose and orbital hematoma when he was taken to the hospital after his arrest by Windsor police.

An officer attended a Dougall Avenue parking lot on Feb. 26 after receiving reports that a man had yelled at customers in Walmart and pointed a pocket blow torch in the direction of a security officer.

The SIU report said the same man went into the nearby Baskin Robbins with what appeared to be a gun in his hands.

The Windsor Police Officer (WPS) found the man and tried to arrest him, but the man fled and the officer chased after him on foot.

The officer caught up to the man and a struggle ensued, according to the SIU report.

The officer repeatedly punched the man in the head, including with the use of conducted energy weapon (CEW) and tried to stun him.

With the help of another officer who arrived on scene, the man was handcuffed.

He was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken nose and orbital hematoma.

“While accepting that the man’s broken nose was the result of the force used by the officer, Director (Joseph) Martino concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the injury was attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the officer,” the report said,

Martino said there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges for this case and the file has been closed.