No Criminal Charges for OPP Officers in Anti-Riot Weapon Incident
Ontario's police oversight agency has determined there are no grounds for criminal charges against two Ontario Provincial Police officers who deployed an anti-riot weapon against a 38-year-old man during a tense standoff last November near Bainsville.
Standoff Details and Police Response
In a report dated March 13 and released publicly on March 14, Special Investigations Unit director Joseph Martino detailed the events of November 18, 2025. The incident began when a man fleeing Quebec police drove into Ontario, traveling the wrong way on Highway 401 near Bainsville, northeast of Cornwall.
The OPP initially avoided pursuit, but engagement became necessary after the man's father contacted the OPP Communications Centre to report his son was expressing suicidal intentions. The Sûreté du Québec also alerted Ontario authorities that the suspect was driving eastbound in westbound lanes on the major highway.
Vehicle Crash and Armed Confrontation
According to the SIU case summary, the man lost control of his minivan near 4th Line Road in Bainsville. The vehicle entered a grassy median, crashed into a guard rail, and came to rest in a ditch. After exiting the damaged vehicle with a hatchet in hand, the suspect refused to drop the weapon despite negotiation attempts by SQ officers.
OPP officers arrived at the scene with a canine unit and negotiator. The man walked approximately 250 metres from his vehicle while still armed with the hatchet. At 6:16 a.m., two OPP officers deployed Anti-riot Weapon Enfields (ARWENs), after which a police dog subdued the suspect.
Medical Assessment and Legal Outcome
Emergency medical services checked the man at the scene and found him uninjured. He was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health Act and transported to Cornwall Community Hospital for evaluation.
In his report, SIU director Joseph Martino concluded that "the use of the ARWENs represented a reasonable option" that appeared to facilitate the man's surrender without causing serious harm. The SIU, an independent agency that investigates police incidents involving death, serious injury, sexual assault allegations, or firearm discharges at persons, found no basis for criminal charges against the officers.
Broader Context of Police Oversight
This decision comes amid ongoing public scrutiny of police use-of-force protocols in Ontario. The SIU's determination highlights the complex balance law enforcement must maintain between public safety and appropriate force application during mental health crises and armed confrontations.
The incident underscores several critical aspects of contemporary policing:
- The coordination between provincial police forces during cross-border incidents
- The deployment of specialized weapons like ARWENs as less-lethal alternatives
- The role of police oversight agencies in reviewing use-of-force decisions
- The intersection of law enforcement response with mental health considerations
While the suspect faced no physical injuries from the anti-riot weapons, the case raises important questions about police protocols during standoffs involving individuals experiencing mental health crises. The SIU's report provides transparency into the decision-making process that led to the clearance of the involved officers.
