Proof that cleared police of Thunder Bay man's throat injury comes out in the end

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit investigates cases in which civilians or suspects are injured during interactions with police. (File)

A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

That's the conclusion of the Special Investigations Unit, who said the man pooped out the evidence several days later.

The incident occurred Feb. 21, 2020, when the 35-year-old man was arrested by the Thunder Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police.

"There appeared to have been a struggle of some sort in connection with the arrest, although the man seemed physically fine as he was being escorted to the police station," the SIU said in a news release Oct. 2.

"At the station, the man was strip-searched with negative results. While sitting in the booking room, the man lapsed into medical distress. He was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was diagnosed and treated for a drug overdose."

More than four years later, in May of this year, the man filed a complaint with the SIU, claiming he injured his throat during a struggle with police during his February 2020 arrest.

But SIU director Joseph Martino said the evidence painted a different picture.

Hospital records showed that his drug overdose was the result of swallowing fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana when he was arrested.

"He defecated a quantity of drugs several days after his hospital admission," the SIU said.

"While in hospital, the man developed aspiration pneumonia and underwent a percutaneous tracheostomy."

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Martino investigated the records and concluded the investigation should be dropped.

"It appeared likely that the whole of the man’s health woes were the result of his drug consumption," Martino wrote.

"At any rate, any attempt to tie his condition to his interaction with officers during his arrest or through his brief period in custody was speculative at best and provided no basis for SIU jurisdiction. Accordingly, the file has been closed."

Read the full decision here.