The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has charged a Toronto Police Service officer with committing a pair of criminal offences during the course of an arrest in Whitby last summer.
According to the SIU, on the night of June 25, 2024, Toronto police officers were looking for a man in Whitby. They located the man while he was riding on a scooter.
Officers were in the Canadian Tire at 4100 Garden Street when an officer driving an unmarked Toronto Police Service (TPS) vehicle collided with the scooter. One of the two scooter riders, an 18-year-old male, was seriously injured and taken to hospital.
Based on the findings from the SIU investigation, Detective Constable Joshua Baksh is facing two charges under the Criminal Code, including one count of dangerous driving and one count of assault with a weapon.
Baksh must appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Oshawa on March 12, 2025.
Since the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU said it will not provide further comment on the investigation.
The SIU investigates incidents resulting in serious injury, death, allegations of sexual assault and discharge of a firearm by an officer at a person. The agency has jurisdiction over all municipal, regional and provincial police officers in Ontario.
