SIU clears Ottawa police in June balcony incident after man sustained serious injuries
Ontario's police watchdog terminated its investigation Wednesday, finding officers did nothing that could attract criminal liability when a 26-year-old man fell from a balcony during a welfare check.
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Ontario's Special Investigations Unit closed its investigation Wednesday into a June 3 incident in which a 26-year-old man sustained a fractured left femur and dislocated right knee after falling from a balcony during an Ottawa police welfare check.
A woman called 911 but the call disconnected. Two Ottawa Police Service patrol units responded for a welfare check. During the encounter, the man went over the balcony and was found on the ground below. He was transported to hospital.
SIU Deputy Director Stacey O'Brien concluded the investigation based on preliminary inquiries including partial video review. "It was plain and obvious that the police did nothing that could conceivably attract criminal liability in connection with the man's injuries," O'Brien said in the report.
The SIU also invoked its mandate for a separate incident: a single-vehicle crash in Smiths Falls on September 30 at approximately 4:24 a.m. near Queen Street and Albert Street. An officer attempted a traffic stop; the driver failed to stop and fled, resulting in a crash. The crash victim was transported to hospital.
The facts
What injuries did the man sustain in the June balcony incident?
The 26-year-old man sustained a fractured left femur and dislocated right knee after falling from a balcony during an Ottawa police welfare check on June 3.
What did the SIU conclude about the officers' conduct?
SIU Deputy Director Stacey O'Brien found that the police did nothing that could conceivably attract criminal liability in connection with the man's injuries.
What was the Smiths Falls incident on September 30?
A single-vehicle crash occurred in Smiths Falls at approximately 4:24 a.m. near Queen Street and Albert Street after an officer attempted a traffic stop and the driver fled, resulting in a crash. The crash victim was transported to hospital.
