SIU releases Peel police officer after 15-year-old who evaded arrest seriously injured – CP24

Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared an officer of any wrongdoing in the arrest of a 15-year-old boy who was seriously injured after trying to evade arrest.

The incident occurred on June 13, when Peel Regional Police (PRP) were called to find a teenager who allegedly took his parents’ van without their permission, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said in a news release which was released on Wednesday.

The civil service said the “events in question” began at a gas station in Mississauga, on the northwest corner of Winston Churchill Boulevard and Thomas Street, and continued south on Thomas to a plaza on the southwest corner before ending on a sidewalk at Winston Churchill. .

The SIU said one of the officers called to the scene spotted the van and pulled his cruiser in front of it while he was on Bentley Street. Two other cruisers surrounded the rear and driver’s side, the agency reported.

The teen, who was driving the van, then drove around the cruiser and continued east toward Winston Churchill Boulevard, where the SIU said he turned right. They added that there were two male passengers in the back seat.

Police then followed the van until it came to a stop at a gas station just two blocks away, where it nearly collided with a gas pump.

All three occupants then got out of the van and ran, the SIU said, prompting the officers present to park their cruisers and chase after them.

The 15-year-old, also named the complainant in the SIU report, fled across Thomas Street and into the grounds of the square.

The SIU said he continued to run around a bank building before ending up on a sidewalk near Winston Churchill, where a PRP officer fired a Taser that hit him in the back.

According to the report, the teen continued to run, prompting the officer to deploy the Taser again.

“This time his body locked up and he fell to the ground, hitting his face. The impact resulted in broken teeth and a fractured jaw,” SIU Director Joseph Martino wrote in the report, adding that the teen was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries after his arrest.

Although the teen was seriously injured during his arrest, Martino concluded that there are “no reasonable grounds” to believe the PRP officer committed a criminal offense in connection with what happened.

Under the Criminal Code, officers are “immune from criminal liability” for using force to carry out their duties, as long as that force is “reasonably necessary.”

“The (officer) had information to believe that the complainant had taken his parents’ van without permission. Under the circumstances, the officer was within his rights to take the complainant into custody for possession of stolen property,” Martino said.

As for the force the officer used to arrest the teen, Martino said the evidence did not “reasonably suggest it was unlawful.”

Because the 15-year-old drove dangerously around a police blockade, nearly hit a gas pump and ran from officers, the report concludes that “it would take some force” to arrest him.

“It made sense to take the complainant to the ground as this would immediately put an end to his flight while the officer would be better positioned to deal with any continued resistance,” he said.

While there is always a risk of injury when someone is taken to the ground, Martino said he was “pleased” with the officer’s decision since the chase took place near busy traffic lanes.

For all these reasons, the SIU director has determined that there is no basis to criminally prosecute the officer and has closed the file.

The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates police-involved incidents involving death, serious injury, firearm discharge, or allegation of assault.