SQ officer caused death of young boy by speeding while following suspect, Crown says

AQuebec provincial police officer caused the death of a five-year-old boy in 2014 byspeeding recklessly while tailing a suspect in Longueuil, a Crown prosecutorargued Monday.

PatrickOuelletstands charged of dangerous driving causing death. His trial began today ina Longueuil courtroom.

In her opening statement, Crown prosecutor Genevive Langlois said Ouellet was working a corruption case involving provincial politics at the time of the boy's death.

According to the Crown, Ouelletwas driving more than 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone while conducting a surveillance operation when he struck a car driven byMikeBelance,a bystander.

In the car with Belance was his 10 year-old stepdaughter and his son,NicholasThorne-Belance, who died in hospital five days after the collision.

Langloissaid there was no wayBelancecould have anticipated the unmarkedSretduQubecvehicle coming at full speed when he turned ontoGatan-BoucherBoulevard, in theLongueuil borough ofSaint-Hubert.

Crime scene photographs admitted into evidence by the first witness, a crime-scene investigator, showed the front end ofOuellet'svehicle struckBelance'svehicle directly in the rear passenger door, where the young boywas in his car seat.

Photos ofOuellet'scar demonstrated the force of the impact. Its front end was smashed and the engine block crushed.

Testimony will continueMonday afternoon.