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A 38-year-old Haliburton man is facing charges after an accident in July that claimed two lives. Ontario Provincial Police arrested the man following the accident, and charged him with the crime of careless driving as well as several other, related charges. He is expected back in court in Lindsay on Nov. 2.
According to the accident report, the crash occurred on Highway 118 around 5 p.m. near Peterborough. The accused man was headed eastbound when, for reasons unknown, his vehicle crossed the center line into westbound traffic. A group of motorcyclists were westbound at the time, and the eastbound driver collided with four out of seven of them.
Two of the four motorcyclists, a 52-year-old Toronto paramedic and his 42-year-old partner were killed in the crash. The other two cyclists struck suffered life-threatening injuries and were rushed to a local hospital. The driver of the car suffered minor injuries and was treated for them before being remanded to police custody. He now stands accused of careless driving, driving without a license and driving a vehicle without a validated permit.
Obviously, an accident of this magnitude is an extraordinary tragedy, but the question of whether it constitutes a crime is a matter to be settled by an Ontario court. The prosecution has the burden of proof in criminal proceedings and must establish each and every element of each crime charged. The man’s attorney will surely review the facts of the case carefully to determine the best course of action to be taken in building a solid defense.
Source: CBC News, “Man, 38, charged with careless driving in death of Toronto paramedic and partner“, Amara McLaughlin, Sept. 19, 2017
