Jury hears vehicle involved in crash that killed young girl was mechanically sound

A London, Ont. jury heard that days after the crash that killed a young girl in November of 2021, the Honda CRV involved in the collision was examined by police, Transport Canada and John Palumbo, a technician with Honda Canada.

He said a diagnostic data review was conducted and they found that there was no brake application at the time of the crash.

“The acceleration pedal indicates that it was 99 per cent,” he explained.

Palumbo concluded, “The event appears to be driver error…based on the data available that’s our conclusion.”

The jury has heard a group of Girl Guides were out on a field trip walking along Riverside Drive west of Wonderland Road when a speeding Honda crashed into them.

An eight year old was killed and seven others were injured.

Police arrested Petronella McNorgan, 78, and charged her with one count of criminal negligence causing death and seven counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

In court last week, she entered a plea of not guilty.

Later in the day Acting Sgt. Craig Duncan, a forensic mechanic with Ontario Provincial Police, testified that he also examined the vehicle in question, looking at the brakes, throttle and steering.

He told the jury, “It would have worked as the manufacturers would have intended it to work.”

A ban on publication has been placed on naming any of the young victims involved in the crash.

The Crown’s case resumes on Wednesday.