Detective Inspector Marty McConnell, the lead investigator within the case of the Bobs Lake tragedy, spoke in regards to the arrest of Matthew Splinter and the case now earlier than the courts on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. Photograph by Michelle Dorey Forestell.
Charges have been laid in reference to the deadly boating collision that happened on the Victoria Day weekend on Bobs Lake.
Three folks died on account of accidents sustained within the collision, which happened on the night of Might 18, 2024, in keeping with a launch from the Frontenac County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Three additional people had been injured as nicely.
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, on account of a prolonged investigation, the OPP arrested and charged Matthew Splinter, age 44 of South Frontenac Township. The OPP introduced the costs towards him the next day at a press convention. Splinter is going through the next charges:
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
In accordance with the discharge, Splinter was held in custody and was scheduled for a bail listening to earlier than the Ontario Courtroom of Justice in Kingston on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, which occurred simply earlier than midday. Splinter stays in custody right now.
On Wednesday morning, Detective Inspector Marty McConnell addressed the assembled media and several other involved members of the general public who gathered in entrance of the Frontenac Detachment of the OPP in Hartington, Ontario.
McConnell stated that he “would like to thank” all of those that performed a task on this advanced investigation.
“I also want to take the opportunity to thank the people of Bobs Lake area. So many local residents and cottages ran to assist the victims after the collision and offered support afterwards. I also want to thank those who came forward to share information and assist our investigators,” he continued.
“To the families who lost loved ones, to those who suffered various degrees of injuries, and to everyone else who was impacted by this tragic collision: We hope that today’s announcement helps to bring some measure of resolution,” McConnell famous. “Throughout this investigation, our victim specialists and other OPP members have endeavoured to ensure that the survivors’ families and even witnesses have had the support they needed while charges have been laid.”
McConnell then took questions from the media. He was first requested why the investigation had taken 5 months earlier than an arrest was made.
“Death investigations are very complex,” he answered. “They require a great deal of resources. And you can imagine, tragically, three lives were lost that day, and serious injuries [occurred]. And with the resources involved in this, I wanted to ensure that a fulsome and fair investigation was brought forward into the courts.”
Members of the general public had been conscious of social media posts made by Splinter that appeared to point he was driving dangerously on the small lake earlier than the crash. Requested about these social media posts and what function they could have performed within the investigation, McConnell answered solely that the OPP had been “aware of them.”
“In terms of how they are being used, that is information now before the courts,” he stated.
In accordance with the detective, there wasn’t anybody piece of latest info that led to the the arrest yesterday, however every step of the investigation concerned items for the investigators to comply with up on.
“We felt at this time, this was the appropriate time to go ahead with the arrest,” McConnell stated.
Requested to explain elements of the investigation, McConnell confirmed that “one of the resources within our organization is our collision reconstructionists, and they create a reconstruction of the events that happened that day. I can’t get into the details of that report because it is specific and evidence that will be brought forward to the courts. But yes, that is part of that investigation. The OPP has a number of resources that we’ve applied for this investigation. As you can imagine, it’s very complex.”
McConnell was unable to supply a lot details about the sequence of occasions on the day of the collision. He may solely say that the data on the order of the occasions “is now before the courts to what extent the evidence or the information provided by the cottagers played in this information,” including, “I would say that, as a case manager and as investigators, we look at all aspects, and everyone who came forward does play a role in this. Those statements are important, but all pieces are important in these investigations. As the case manager and part of the investigative team, it is important that we look at all details of that investigation.”
Some challenges concerned within the investigation included the distant location, however McConnell stated that the OPP “have a number of resources that we do use, including our marine unit, reconstructionists, and technical collision investigators. All of those attended, and we used all the necessary resources to conduct a thorough investigation.”
The OPP, he stated, will not be anticipating extra info from the general public, who’ve already been very useful with the investigation.
“But we are always alive to the possibilities. And that is why I encourage everyone who may have the information to please come forward and share that. It’s important to our investigation and also to support those families that have experienced this tragedy,” McConnell said.
In 2019, Linda O’Leary, the spouse of Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, was concerned in a ship crash on Lake Joseph, north of Toronto, that killed two folks and injured three others. That went via the Canada Transport Act, and McConnell was requested if the Felony Code was the one avenue for police to pursue charges on this case.
“With the severity of this investigation and this tragedy, three lives were lost, and others were seriously hurt, I felt that it met the criteria of a Criminal Code offence to be laid in this case.”
McConnell additionally stated he couldn’t touch upon what substances had been concerned in laying the impaired operation charges: “When we looked at this case, we laid the appropriate charges of dangerous conveyance operation and the impaired charges. We felt that that was the appropriate charge. We do that in consultation with our Crown attorney.”
Members of the general public embrace following the information of the costs. Photograph by Michelle Dorey Forestell/Kingstonist.
Requested to talk to the neighborhood in regards to the influence of ready 5 months to put charges, McConnell stated, “I completely sympathize with the families on that. But again, conducting a thorough investigation when it is very complex requires that time to ensure that we have provided the necessary steps to provide a full and fair, thorough case that is now brought before the courts.”
Members of the general public who didn’t want to be recognized shared that they had been a part of the Bobs Lake neighborhood and had been there on the day of the tragedy.
“I would have liked to have seen manslaughter charges,” shared one woman, “but I am glad they know he was impaired. He lied about that.”
In accordance with the discharge, the investigation, which was directed by the OPP Felony Investigation Department and performed at the side of the Workplace of the Chief Coroner, concerned help from frontline officers, collision reconstructionists, members of a number of OPP Crime Items, the Technical Collision Investigation Group, and Forensic Identification Providers.
The OPP said that whereas the costs have been laid, the investigation stays ongoing. Anybody who could have info and has not but spoken with investigators is requested to contact the Frontenac OPP Detachment at 1-800-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
With recordsdata from Jessica Foley.
