Assault Charge Laid Against OPP Officer
Case Number: 15-PCI-138
Mississauga (29 December, 2015) —
An Ontario Provincial Police officer has been charged with assault in relation to an incident that occurred last summer on the shoulder of Highway 401 in Toronto.
An SIU investigation found the following:
- Just before 12:30 a.m., on July 1, 2015, a 19-year-old man from Oshawa was driving south on Highway 400.
- He began to experience car trouble and stopped his vehicle on the south shoulder in the eastbound collector lanes of Highway 401, east of Jane Street.
- Two OPP officers attended the scene.
- During their interaction, the man was injured and later diagnosed with a concussion.
As a result of this investigation, the Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe an OPP officer committed the criminal offence of assault causing bodily harm. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid.
OPP Constable Scott Hearnden is now facing one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 1000 Finch Avenue West in Toronto on February 10, 2016.The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment.
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. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
- report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.