OPP officer Roger Woods pleads guilty to Careless Driving

These are violations by the Ontario Provincial Police officers dealing with statues such as the Highway Traffic Act, Liquor Control Act, Police Services Act, Child and Family Services Act, Mental Health Act, etc.

OPP officer Roger Woods pleads guilty to Careless Driving

Postby Thomas » Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:56 am

The trial of a Wellington County OPP officer charged with careless driving has been adjourned until March 13 at 10am at the provincial offences court here.

The trial involving OPP Sergeant Roger Woods, of the Mount Forest detachment, was first adjourned to Jan. 14 after four days of testimony in late December. On Jan. 14 those attending the trial, including crown witness OPP Constable Susan Blacklock, were informed a continuation of the adjournment had been granted.

A spokesperson for the Crown Attorney’s office in Kitchener said no reason was given for the extended adjournment. The file is currently being held by Crown attorney Robert Butler.

In December justice of the peace Anna Hampson put a publication ban on testimony given by Blacklock on the final day of the four days of hearings.

She made her ruling after a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to hear testimony from crash scene reconstructionist Blacklock, who testified in support of the crown’s theory that speed was a factor in the Nov. 14, 2011 crash that injured a Mennonite buggy driver and killed his horse Buster. The justice said she imposed a ban on publication of evidence presented on the final day of testimony before the adjournment pending her ruling on whether the evidence will be admissible when the trial resumes in provincial offences court.

Woods faces a careless driving charge in connection with the early morning accident that severely injured farmer Onias Frey, 61, who spent five weeks in hospital in Mount Forest and Hamilton being treated for his injuries and continues to recover.

In earlier testimony, OPP crash scene expert Staff Sgt. Paul Nixon concurred that speed was a factor in the crash.

In the December testimony, Paralegal Scott Thibaudeau, representing Woods, indicated he is challenging the way information from the black box in Woods’ Ford SUV was collected by police.

On the first day, the trial also heard from Frey and two of his relatives.

Frey told the court he remembers nothing from the day of the accident. He said he suffered “13 or 14 broken ribs, crushed collar bone (and had his) spleen removed.”

“I’m not fully recovered yet,” he told the court. “I haven’t got my strength back.”

Frey said his memory is “coming back” since the accident and after he was released from hospital on Dec. 19, 2011.

The victim said he harbours no ill will towards Woods.

The victim’s younger brother Levi also testified about the assistance Woods offered while his older brother was in hospital. However, he added, the accident has aged his brother “10 to 15 years and some of his idiosyncracies are more pronounced.”

Levi Frey said he met Woods after the accident.

“He said, ‘It was all my fault, your brother did nothing wrong.’ He also said it was a pretty bad day for him.”

Butler has indicated Woods may have been travelling faster than the 50 kilometre speed limit posted on Sligo Road.

Woods was off-duty at the time of the crash. He was officially charged three months after the accident.

The OPP released his name only after repeated requests from the Advertiser.

January 18, 2013, by Kris Svela

http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/ind ... tmno=15195
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Re: OPP officer Roger Woods trial adjourned again until Marc

Postby Thomas » Fri May 24, 2013 4:09 pm

OPP officer sentenced over off-duty collision with buggy near Mount Forest

GUELPH– Roger Woods broke the law back in Nov. 2011, but he responded in an extraordinary way in the aftermath.

His commendable actions following a serious motor vehicle accident that he caused were taken into account during his sentencing.

Woods changed his plea to guilty Monday on a careless driving count laid after an incident near Mount Forest that left an Old Mennonite Order buggy driver seriously injured and his horse dead.

Circumstances agreed up in Guelph’s Provincial Offences Administration Court on Monday indicate Woods, an off-duty Ontario Provincial Police sergeant, was travelling at least 80 km/hr, and likely higher, in a 50 km/hr as he approached Mount Forest at around 8 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2011.

The court heard that Woods was momentarily distracted while reaching to adjust a control on the dashboard of his new 2011 Ford Edge SUV. He slammed into the rear of a buggy operated by Onias Frey. Woods and Frey are friends and neighbours in rural Mount Forest.

The force of the impact destroyed the buggy, killed the horse and threw Frey several meters into the ditch. Frey, now 61, suffered severe injuries including numerous broken ribs and internal injuries that rendered him comatose in hospital for several weeks. While he is still healing, he is expected to make a near full recovery.

Justice Anna Hampson said it was remarkable the man survived and was able to walk into the courtroom during the trial. Frey was not in court on Monday.

Evidence examined during four days of trial proceedings showed Woods was travelling at least 80 km/hr at the time of impact, but may have been going as fast as 104 km/hr, according to testimony given by an OPP accident scene analyst during a voir dire proceeding.

The weight of that evidence, the court heard, enabled the Crown to prove its case against Woods, and he changed his plea as a result.

Facing a charge that can lead to a fine of up to $2,000, a license suspension and possible jail time, Woods was fined $500, given 18-months probation, and 24-hours of community service. It was suggested his community service involve conducting public addresses on the dangers of inattention while behind the wheel.

During submissions Monday, Crown prosecutor Robert Butler said Woods “immediately took responsibility” for the collision. He remained on the scene and rendered assistance to the injured man, ensuring that he was not moved in case he had sustained a spinal injury. And he immediately called 911 and indicated he had struck the buggy.

“He went beyond the call of duty, frankly,” said Butler, in court, explaining Woods took it upon himself to drive Frey’s family members to visit him in hospital, and that his insurance covered all costs, including replacing Frey’s horse, buggy and accessories. Woods and Frey continue to be close friends.

Thibaudeau said the victim impact statements in the case were exceptionally positive. Frey described the incident as an accident that could happen to anyone, and because of his religious beliefs he had no desire or motivation to seek further compensation from Woods. He forgave him and wished to move on.

Woods declined to comment on the case following the conclusion of the trial.

“My client wanted to resolve this without the necessity of a trial,” said Thibaudeau, in an interview, but it was decided to put the onus on the Crown to prove his guilt.

“We finally had a meeting of the minds between defense and the Crown (Monday),” he added.

In the Mount Forest area, Thibaudeau added, Woods is considered “a credit to society,” and a hard-working man with a very strong religious foundation. He was asked if his client has been changed by the incident.

“I think he has, because from the perspective of his career, he found himself behind the wheels of the system of justice,” said Thibaudeau. “And he found that it is not always a smooth road. It was very hard on him, and I think there is a great deal of weight off his shoulders that we were finally able to bring it to a conclusion.”

In an interview, Butler reiterated that Woods acted admirably in the aftermath of the collision, both by rendering assistance at the crash scene and by giving his support to the family afterwards.

“It was clear from the victim impact statement that the family was very thankful for that,” Butler said. “You don’t often see that kind of behaviour displayed by an accused person immediately after a charge.”

Butler called the court’s sentencing decision a fair one.

http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local ... unt-forest
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