SQ officer faces dangerous driving charges in death of 5-year-old boy

Nicholas Thorne-Belance was killed in February 2014 when an unmarked SQ police car slammed into the car his father was driving.

A Surete du Quebec police officer will be charged with dangerous driving causing death in connection with a car crash that killed 5-year-old Nicholas Thorne-Belance.

In February 2014, Nicholas and his 14-year-old sister were aboard their father's car when, while making a left-hand turn from Gaetan Boucher Blvd. onto Davis Blvd. in St Hubert, an unmarked SQ squad car rammed the family’s vehicle.

The impact knocked the Belances' car across the street and into a stop sign. The boy, his father and sister were brought to hospital, where Nicholas eventually died.

SQ officer Patrick Ouellet was driving the unmarked vehicle and was not initially charged with a crime. Prosecutors took into account that the father had turned on a solid green, instead of waiting for a flashing green light.

Quebec’s Justice Minister Stephanie Vallee ordered a new investigation into crash in November. A group of independent prosecutors, which included a retired judge, reviewed the evidence and the Director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP) announced Tuesday that following a review of the investigation’s findings, Ouellet will be charged with dangerous driving causing death.

In a news release, the DPCP mentions the decision was not influenced by political, police or media pressure, but solely on the facts as they were presented by the group that did the review.

Vallee would not comment on the matter Tuesday, saying it is now a criminal case.

Parti Quebecois justice critic Alexandre Cloutier, however, said he believes there should be more transparency in the way the Crown prosecutor deals with cases involving a police officer.

“When there is suspicious of a link between the justice system, it is very important that the process is transparent and we have all the explanations of why the Crown prosecutor didn’t act,” he said.

Ouellet will appear in a Longueuil courtroom June 26.

SQ officer faces charges of dangerous driving in death of 5-year-old boy