Ottawa Police Officer Charged
Case Number: 15-OVI-035
Other News Releases Related to Case 15-OVI-035
Appeals Form
Mississauga (10 June, 2015) — The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe a police officer with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) committed a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by 39-year-old Christian St. Louis in February. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation found that in the afternoon hours of Thursday, February 19, 2015, an OPS officer stopped a vehicle on Belfast Road. As the officer exited his cruiser, the vehicle fled. The officer initiated a pursuit. A short time later, the vehicle collided with a City of Ottawa transit bus near the intersection of Laurier Avenue East and Nicholas Street. Mr. St. Louis, a passenger in the vehicle, sustained injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
As a result of the SIU investigation, OPS Constable William Randal Stockdale is facing one count ofdangerous driving causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 249(3) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 161 Elgin Street in Ottawa on July 21, 2015. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
- report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.