The trial for Ottawa city councillor Matthew Luloff on impaired driving charges commenced this week, with the accused entering a plea of not guilty and the Crown calling its first witnesses.
Trial Begins with Witness Testimony
On Monday, the provincial court heard that in the early hours of July 6, 2024, a woman reported a black Jeep driving erratically. According to testimony from witness Marie Fedorchuk, the vehicle was swerving, crossed into bike lanes, and nearly struck her car, prompting her to call 911.
Fedorchuk told the court she followed the Jeep to a Wendy's drive-thru, where she reported the incident to police. She informed the 911 dispatcher that the driver appeared intoxicated and provided the vehicle's licence plate number. "I followed the vehicle because it was terrifying, the way he was driving. He almost hit me," Fedorchuk testified.
Charges and Legal Arguments
Court documents show Coun. Matthew Luloff faces two charges related to the incident:
- Operating a motor vehicle while impaired.
- Having a blood-alcohol concentration equal to or exceeding 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood within two hours of ceasing to operate a vehicle.
Luloff formally pleaded not guilty to both counts as the trial opened. His defence lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, had previously sought to have the case stayed or dismissed, arguing that court delays had exceeded the limits set by the Jordan ruling. A provincial court judge denied that application, allowing the trial to proceed.
Cross-Examination Focuses on Details
During cross-examination, Greenspon challenged the consistency of Fedorchuk's account. He pointed out that certain details she described in her oral testimony—such as the Jeep flying over speed bumps and taking a sharp turn into the drive-thru—were not included in the handwritten statement she provided to police on the morning of the incident.
"Why did you provide a worse case today but not put it in the written police statement?" Greenspon asked. Fedorchuk acknowledged the omissions but maintained her testimony was truthful, stating she did not know her written statement needed "excruciating detail."
Crown attorney Julian Daller called two witnesses on the trial's first day. The proceedings will continue as the court examines the evidence surrounding the allegations against the Orléans East-Cumberland councillor.
