Truck driver faces criminal charges after death of officer

An Ontario Provincial Police officer died when the vehicle that he was driving was hit by a semi-truck. Now, the truck driver is facing criminal charges due to the fatal accident. His court date is scheduled for July 3.

The collision occurred on Feb. 13 on Highway 17 near Blind River. Allegedly, the accident occurred when the 36-year-old constable’s SUV was hit by the semi-truck. The constable had worked with the OPP detachment unit approximately 12 years at the time of his death. He was off duty at the time.

The truck driver and the company for which he was working were charged with multiple Highway Traffic Act violations in March. The trucking company received charges for failing to ensure that the daily inspection was conducted according to the Act. Additionally, the truck driver received charges for failing to enter a defect in the daily inspection report, failing to report a defect to the operator and careless driving. Due to the information regarding the truck’s relevance to the criminal charges, police are not able to comment on the defect that serves as the basis for the charge. Additionally, the truck driver is facing a criminal charge of negligence causing death.

If a person is killed in an accident that involved a semi-truck, the victim’s family may consult a personal injury lawyer who has worked on truck accidents in the past. The lawyer may be able to gather evidence to show that the truck driver or the trucking company were in violation of regulations. This evidence may be used as proof of negligence in a criminal trial as well as a civil trial.

Source: Sun News Network, “Trucker charged in crash that killed Ontario cop“, Brian Kelly, May 16, 2014