MONTREAL — A Quebec provincial police officer is facing a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of a five-year-old boy south of Montreal in February 2014.
Patrick Ouellet is scheduled to appear at the courthouse in Longueuil on June 26.
Nicholas Thorne-Belance was travelling with his father when their car was struck by a police cruiser going at 120 kilometres an hour in a 50-kilometres-an-hour zone.
The boy died a few days later.
Last November, the Crown indicated there would be no charge against Ouellet, triggering a strong backlash in the community and prompting Justice Minister Stephanie Vallee to set up an independent committee.
Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions announced today it has laid the charge after the committee issued a report issued earlier this month recommending it do so.
