The province’s police watchdog has dropped their investigation into the arrest of a 37-year-old man over the summer by St. Thomas police, saying the soreness the man complained of following the arrest was actually the result of a life-threatening abscess in his neck.
“The medical condition complained about and medically treated was unrelated to the man’s contact with police,” said Tony Loparco, director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), in a statement Friday. “Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
According to the SIU, the interaction occurred around 7:30 a.m. on July 24, 2017.
The unidentified 37-year-old had been sought by police for an outstanding warrant, and was walking along Axford Parkway when a marked police cruiser pulled up beside him, prompting him to run, the SIU said. A foot pursuit began, and following a brief struggle, the man was arrested.
After being taken to the police station, the man complained of soreness, according to the investigation. He was taken to the hospital and was found to have no serious injury by medical personnel.
The next day, he was taken to hospital for swelling in his neck and underwent surgery. According to the SIU, during the surgery, a life-threatening abscess was removed from the left side of his neck.
No further information has been released.
The announcement comes just over a week after a separate SIU probe into allegations of sexual assault involving a female youth resulted in charges against a St. Thomas police officer.
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