Three years to the day after a five year old boy was killed in a high speed crash the preliminary hearing for the police officer charged with causing his death got under way at the Longueuil courthouse Monday.
Nicholas Thorne-Belance died on February 13, 2014 after his father's car was struck by an unmarked police car on Gaétan-Boucher Blvd in St-Hubert.
The car was driven by Patrick Ouellet a Sûreté du Québec police officer who was carrying out a surveillance operation.
Initially crown prosecutors declined to file charges, but following a public outcry the Director of criminal and penal prosecutions ordered a review and Ouellet was subsequently charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Ouellet was then suspended with pay pending the outcome of his trial.
if convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
The judge has imposed a ban on publication of the testimony during the hearing.