The beginning of the trial of a Niagara Area officer charged with assaulting a fellow officer who shot him 10 occasions has been postponed till Tuesday in Hamilton because of a COVID-19 concern.
Const. Nathan Parker of the Niagara Regional Police Service has pleaded not responsible to assault with a weapon.
The ten-day, judge-alone trial was set to start out Monday in individual in Hamilton. However Justice Anthony Leitch mentioned somebody concerned with the case needed to be examined for COVID-19.
Parker, 55, of St. Catharines, Ont., was charged after an uncommon incident on Nov. 29, 2018, that additionally concerned Det.-Sgt. Shane Donovan.
Each males have been investigating a crash on the rural intersection of Roland Street and Effingham Avenue in rural Pelham, about 20 kilometres west of Niagara Falls.
A $2.5-million lawsuit Donovan later filed in opposition to the native police service, Parker and the Niagara police board says Donovan was heading the collision reconstruction unit. It says Parker’s job was to redirect site visitors.
Parker left his submit with out permission, in keeping with the lawsuit. It says that when Donovan admonished him for it, Parker responded aggressively.
Donovan shot Parker 10 occasions. One bullet grazed Parker’s nostril, whereas others hit his leg, abdomen and shoulder.
Ontario’s Particular Investigations Unit initially laid assault-related prices on Donovan, together with tried homicide, however the Crown later dropped them.
Parker has a historical past of disciplinary hearings associated to violent interactions. He was charged for his half within the altercation.
The Crown Regulation Workplace in Toronto is prosecuting and can current its proof. The trial will resume with the defence on Oct. 26 and 27.
Toronto attorneys Joseph Markson and Kate Robertson are representing Parker. Jason Nicol and Jeremy Tatum are representing the Crown.
The Ontario Court docket of Justice trial was initially scheduled to be in St. Catharines, but it surely was moved to Hamilton.
