Man died of cocaine toxicity while in Charlottetown police custody, watchdog says

The SiRT logo is seen in an undated file photo.

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) found no criminal offences in the case of a man who died while being taken to hospital by Charlottetown Police Services, claiming an autopsy revealed the cause of death was cocaine toxicity.

The man died on Oct. 15, 2025, after police took him to hospital. SiRT – which handles all matters involving death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence that may have arisen from police officers’ actions – launched an investigation into the case.

In a report, Erin Nauss, director of SiRT, said the unnamed man entered the Charlottetown Police Station around 8:45 a.m. Oct. 11 as he understood police were looking for him. Officers arrested him for theft.

According to the report, the man began to act erratically by breathing loudly, being unable to remain still and repeatedly looking around the room and under a table.

Police decided to take him to hospital for medical assistance. The man struggled with three officers, resulting in them deploying a Taser on his leg, handcuffing him and putting him in the back of a vehicle.

“On the way to the hospital, the officers noted the AP (affected party) was in distress,” the report reads. “They pulled over and repositioned him and called police dispatch to advise the hospital to have someone ready to assist when they arrived.

“When they arrived at the hospital, the AP was blue and not breathing. Medical staff brought back his heartbeat and the AP remained in hospital until his death.”

The SiRT report says the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner recommended to the P.E.I. Coroner that the cause of death be ruled as cocaine toxicity.

The autopsy found no significant injuries to the man and it also uncovered a bag of a white substance believed to be cocaine in him. The bag was removed and it appeared to be ruptured.

“When I consider the actions of the officers I cannot conclude they were criminal,” the report reads. “The AP was being transported to hospital due to a medical mental health concern. When they noticed a physical change in the AP, they repositioned him and notified the hospital they needed someone to meet them.

“They noted the physical change in the AP while they were minutes away from the hospital and continued to bring him there. The officers provided a level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised in the circumstances. Additionally, I cannot conclude the officers had a wanton or reckless disregard for the safety or life of the AP.”

Nauss said there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officers committed a criminal offence in this matter.

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