The Ontario Court docket of Justice in Kingston, positioned on Wellington Avenue. Kingstonist file picture.
The person accused in a lethal boat crash that took the lives of three younger folks and injured a number of others over the Victoria Day weekend made an unexpectedly transient court docket look at present.
Simply earlier than 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, it appeared as if Central East Correctional Centre wouldn’t be bringing Matthew Splinter for his video look in magistrate Jack Chiang’s Ontario Court docket of Justice at present, for some unknown cause.
Chiang was about to dismiss the legal professionals on each side, who have been to go away the video convention for bail court docket in Napanee, when Splinter all of the sudden appeared on display screen, sporting the intense orange T-shirt worn by males in Ontario’s correctional companies’ custody. Talking hoarsely, Splinter confirmed his title for Chiang. This was Spinter’s second look in court docket, having appeared in court docket briefly on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, two days after the costs in opposition to him have been introduced by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Defence lawyer Brian Wilcock of Snider Wilcock Felony Defence in Napanee advised Chiang he was showing as an agent for Jordan Tekenos-Levy of Tekenos-Levy Regulation, who couldn’t attend.
Wilcock famous that Splinter was to have appeared in particular person for a full-day bail listening to at present, November 14, however that on Monday, Nov. 11, the Tekenos-Levy group had obtained “voluminous disclosure” details about the case that they would want time to evaluation. Wilcock requested that the in-person bail listening to be adjourned to a brand new date.
Crown legal professional Shawn Eagles agreed, and Chiang adjourned the listening to to later this month.
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, after a five-month investigation, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) arrested and charged Splinter, age 44, of South Frontenac Township. At a press convention the next day, the OPP introduced the costs in opposition to him:
Three counts of harmful operation of a conveyance inflicting deathThree counts of harmful operation of a conveyance inflicting bodily harmThree counts of impaired operation of a automobile inflicting deathThree counts of impaired operation of a automobile inflicting bodily hurt
The tragedy that rocked the small neighborhood round Bobs Lake occurred on Saturday, Might 18, 2024, when two boats collided on the lake simply earlier than 9:40 p.m.
Three folks have been pronounced deceased on the scene: a 21-year-old feminine from South Frontenac Township, a 22-year-old feminine from Elginburg, and a 23-year-old male from South Frontenac. 5 different folks, aged 21 to 44, have been reportedly taken to hospital with accidents of various levels of seriousness, police mentioned the next day.
Days later, the OPP confirmed with Kingstonist eyewitness experiences of youths having been on one of many boats.
The OPP indicated at its October 30 press convention that pace and impairment have been each components that contributed to the crash.
As requested by the defence, a publication ban pursuant to Part 517 of the Felony Code of Canada has been applied on this case. This ban strictly limits what data disclosed in court docket may be revealed at the moment.
Kingstonist will proceed to observe the case because it proceeds by the courts.
