Charges laid in crash that killed Girl Guide, injured several others in London, Ont.
London police have laid charges in connection with a crash on Riverside Drive that left an eight-year-old girl dead.
Alexandra Stemp died following the collision on Riverside just west of Wonderland Road on Nov. 30, 2021.
Nine others from the Brownie group (Girl Guides ages seven and eight) were injured, some seriously. The driver was not hurt.
Investigators have said the group of Girl Guides was walking eastbound on the north side of Riverside when a westbound vehicle struck another vehicle, a light standard and a tree before colliding with the group of pedestrians.
London police Const. Sandasha Bough said, "Members of our Traffic Unit had a lengthy and complex investigation into what transpired. While we can’t speak to the outcome of that investigation, we can say all of the details will come out through the court process."
Police announced Friday that 76-year-old Petronella H. McNorgan of London has now been charged with criminal negligence causing death and seven counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Lawyer Phillip Millar will represent McNorgan and tells CTV News London, "There are intentional acts, then there are accidents, this is definitely an accident."
Millar said his client was driving westbound along Riverside approaching Wonderland and then, "Her brakes didn’t work when she came down the hill. She had them serviced that day. She’s not saying that’s exactly what happened, but the brakes were not working and she was struggling to find a way to stop. She hit a couple cars, a tree and, tragically, some people."
London-based lawyer Richard Braiden is not involved in the case, but explains criminal negligence charges are much more serious than careless or dangerous driving and typically a conviction means jail time.
However, he said the Crown must prove, "Wanton and reckless disregard for the safety of others. So basically it’s a very high level of reckless behaviour. It’s basically at the top of the list for seriousness in these types of matters."
Millar said he intends to mount a vigorous defence and asks the public not to rush to judgement.
"There is often a call for blood and justice in the world when something tragic happens. People are just happy someone is charged without knowing what happened."
None of the allegations have been proven in court. McNorgan is next scheduled to appear in a London court on April 13.
Tire tracks are seen at the scene of the collision in London, Ont. on Wednesday, Dec 1, 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.