SIU clears Brant County OPP officer in connection with summer incident at Pinehurst Lake

The province’s police watchdog has cleared a Brant County OPP officer of wrongdoing in connection with an incident at Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area last summer where a suspect was injured during an arrest.

The Special Investigations Unit says officers were called to the area after it had been reported that a man had been travelling at high speeds on park grounds and refused to leave.

When officers reached the scene, the SIU says the man tried to hide in some bushes.

The officers surrounded the location and attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender, according to the SIU.

The police watchdog alleges the man told police he was on drugs and had a knife before he ran at the officers.

One of the officers discharged an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield or “ARWEN” at him and the man was hit and injured.

“On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the discharge of the ARWEN,” a statement from the SIU said.

“There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed.”

The SIU is an independent agency that investigates incidents involving police that have resulted in death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.