Jail recommended for police officer after high-speed crash kills boy

LONGUEUIL, Que. — A provincial police officer who crashed into a car at high speed and killed a 5-year-old boy during a surveillance operation will likely be sentenced to jail time.

The Crown and the defence submitted a joint proposal to the court on Monday in Longueuil, Que. recommending that Patrick Ouellet receive an eight-month sentence.

Quebec court Judge Eric Simard is expected to render his decision at the end of November.

Ouellet was convicted in July of dangerous driving causing the 2014 death of Nicolas Thorne-Belance.

The maximum sentence for the offence is 14 years in prison.

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The police officer addressed the court, expressing his sympathy to family members of Nicolas, who were in the courtroom.

Ouellet’s trial heard he was travelling at more than 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when he hit the vehicle carrying the boy in a suburb just south of Montreal.

The youngster died a few days later in hospital.

“We have taken into consideration all the jurisprudence, in particular the sentences handed down to police officers who have come before the court in circumstances similar to those in this case,” prosecutor Genevieve Langlois said.

(Cogeco Nouvelles)

The Canadian Press