Ontario’s police watchdog has dropped an investigation involving a 20-year-old Elgin County man, who broke his hand while in police custody.
Elgin OPP arrested a man driving the wrong way on Hwy. 401 near Dutton, after receiving several 911 calls from concerned motorists early on May 29. The man was placed in a cell at the local police detachment only to be taken to hospital a short time later with a fractured left hand.
The Special Investigations Unit was called in following the incident. Investigators determined that while in the cell, the man began hitting the cell bars with his head and punched the cell wall with both hands.
“The evidence clearly establishes that the man’s injury was self-inflicted. As such, I have terminated the investigation into this incident,” said SIU Director Tony Loparco.
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
