Defence lawyers for a man accused of running over a Toronto police officer nearly three years ago are calling a crash reconstructionist to testify at his trial.
Umar Zameer has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup.
Northrup died on July 2, 2021 after he was hit by a vehicle in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall.
Court has heard Northrup and his partner, both plainclothes officers, were in the garage to investigate a stabbing.
Zameer, who was with his pregnant wife and their young son at the time, was not involved in the stabbing. He is expected to testify later this week.
Prosecutors allege Zameer caused Northrup’s death by making a series of manoeuvres with his car while the officers were nearby, but the defence says it was an accident and neither Zameer nor his wife knew the pair were officers.
Crown prosecutors previously called a police crash reconstructionist, who told the court he concluded Northrup had been knocked to the ground by the car reversing before he was run over by it going forward.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2024.
