Police cleared after man falls from highway overpass in Mississauga

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Published August 17, 2022 at 7:39 pm

Police have been cleared of wrongdoing after a man fell from this overpass. - via Google Maps

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) is not charging Peel Police officers after a man in distress fell off a Mississauga overpass and onto the highway.

The man who fell, dubbed the Complainant in the SIU report, hitched a ride to the hospital for a mental health crisis with his mother on April 19.

On route to the hospital the Complainant got out of the car on Erin Mills Pkwy around 1:30 p.m. and stood above the 403. The mother called police saying, ““My son is going to kill himself, jump off the highway or somewhere down here.”

She confirmed the Complainant had refused to go into Credit Valley Hospital before saying “Can you hurry please, in one second, he is gonna jump and die.”

She again said, “He is gonna jump off the 401, 403.”

Several cops rushed to the scene. The subject officers of the investigation, SO #1 and SO #2 in the report, arrived at about 1:36. When SO #2 arrived he saw the Complainant climb the railing of the overpass on the southside of the bridge, as captured on his body worn camera (BWC).

SO #2 pleaded with the Complainant repeatedly calling hm by name. Seconds later, by the time SO #2 reached him, the Complainant was hanging off the side of the bridge above the eastbound lanes of Hwy 403.

While he was still hanging, SO #2 grabbed the Complainant’s right hand and an article of clothing, shouting “Please, bro.”

At this point SO #1 arrived and rushed to help his fellow officer hold onto the Complainant. He grabbed the Complainant’s other arm.

The officer were pleading with the Complainant to come toward them as they tried to pull him up. However, the Complainant does not appear to co-operate in the BWC footage.

The Complainant slipped out of the officers’ hand moment later falling into Hwy 430 traffic. He landed on his legs first then collapsed onto his back. Cars narrowly missed him as he lay in the highway. The police called for an ambulance.

The cops bolted south down Erin Mills Pkwy toward the 403 as the Complainant rolled onto his side screaming in pain. The officers began to console the Complainant with SO #2 saying, ““You are ok. Hang tight man. You are ok.”

“Try to relax my friend and take it easy,” said SO #1 as the pair checked for injuries. More cops arrived and the SO #1 told one  “We had him, and he slipped out of his coat,” and, “He was swinging at us,” and wanted “us” to drop him.

An ambulance arrived minutes later and rushed the Complainant to hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple broken bones.

The SIU, which investigates any serious injuries during interactions with police, was soon informed. Following an investigation, Director Joseph Martino concluded the were “no reasonable grounds” to charge to officers.

The only charge applicable to these circumstances, Martino notes, is negligence causing injury which is, “reserved for serious cases of neglect that demonstrate a wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other persons.”

“The officers comported themselves with due care and regard for the Complainant’s well-being.” Martino said, “Arriving in the vicinity of the Complainant and finding him climbing over the overpass railing, there was little SO #2 could do other than what he did.”

 

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