First acquitted, the Quebec police officer charged with dangerous driving causing death for cutting off a motorcyclist on the Laurentian highway in September 2015 is back before a judge after the Court of Appeal demanded a new trial .
• Read also: Death of a motorcyclist: the policewoman back in court in September
On the evening of September 10, 2015, police officer Isabelle Morin was driving an SPVQ patrol car and heading towards the Haute-St-Charles police station, but paving work on the Laurentian highway forced a long detour. Since the work was being done on the northbound lanes, traffic had been diverted to the south lane of the highway, with traffic moving in the opposite direction, separated by orange cones.
The work thus meant that the George-Muir exit was inaccessible northbound, a long detour via the Bernier exit had to be made by motorists who wanted to take George-Muir Street. However, police officer Morin had decided to cut this detour short by making a U-turn on the highway to take the George-Muir exit, but heading south.
With the lights and turn signals on, the woman passed between two orange cones known as TRV-7 and cut the single lane southbound. At the same time, motorcyclist Jessy Drolet was heading south and saw his way being completely blocked by the police vehicle.
The victim braked, slid to the ground with his motorcycle and fatally hit the vehicle. The 51-year-old police officer was later charged with dangerous driving causing death.
File photo, Steve Poulin
Call
The trial judge had acquitted the policewoman, saying that the maneuver was “unusual, but not illegal”. The Crown quickly announced that it was appealing the case, claiming several errors of law. The Court of Appeal agreed with the DPCP and a new trial was ordered.
The policewoman who is still employed by the police department, but on sick leave, is defended by a lawyer whose fees are paid by the City of Quebec. During the first trial, TVA Nouvelles indicated that the defense of the policewoman had cost taxpayers nearly $500,000.
Morin’s second trial, presided over by Judge Frank D’Amour, is scheduled for two weeks. Seventeen witnesses will be heard in the prosecution while the defense announced the same expert as during the first trial.