Northern Ont. police cleared in arrest where suspect broke his ankle

Timmins Police Service headquarters. (CTV Northern Ontario file photo)

An officer with the Timmins Police Service has been cleared in a case where a suspect broke his ankle during an arrest last month at a local coffee shop.

A news release Friday from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said a preliminary investigation concluded police were not responsible for the injury.

“On Feb. 20, 2023, an officer attempted to apprehend the man at a coffee shop on McIntyre Road as there was a warrant for his arrest,” the SIU said.

“The man rose to his feet and turned his back as if preparing to surrender his hands to be handcuffed. Before the officer could handcuff him, the man fled and slipped at the front door, breaking his right ankle. The officer followed and slipped, falling on top of the man. The man was arrested and taken to hospital.”

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SIU director Joseph Martino said that after preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that captured the incident in parts, he “was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued as there was patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of the officer involved.”

“Accordingly, the file has been closed,” the release said.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police officers that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.