Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Father Of Hero Soldier, Collin Fitzgerald, Faces Police Obstruction Charge In Arrest Of Son

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Nov, 2015 12:05 PM
    OTTAWA — The father of one of Canada's most highly decorated soldiers will face an Ontario provincial court judge today in connection with the August 2014 arrest of his son.
     
    Bryan Fitzgerald, of Morrisburg, Ont., was accused of trying to obstruct a heavily armed police officer who arrived at the family home to arrest his son Collin, a former Canadian Forces corporal, on a charge of breaching bail conditions.
     
    The charge was just the latest in a long-running legal drama — one that the family claims was aimed at driving the ex-soldier out of the small town south of Ottawa.
     
    "The whole thing, as far as I'm concerned was a set up," Fitzgerald said Tuesday in an interview. "They wanted to make sure I could no longer be Collin's surety at his bail hearing in Cornwall, which is exactly what happened."
     
    Collin Fitzgerald had been released into the care of his parents after previous run-ins with the law.
     
    In the spring of 2014, he'd been accused of intimidating a police officer and was released on bail. But on the night of July 31 that year, the empty home Fitzgerald owned with his ex-wife burned to the ground.
     
    The Ontario Provincial Police claimed he was present and therefore in breach of his bail conditions, but did not accuse him of arson. They arrived at his parents' home early in the morning after the fire to arrest him.
     
    His father said the family was awakened by a telephone call stating that the police were outside. After going out to see what was going on, Bryan Fitzgerald was approached by two heavily armed police officers with weapons drawn — authorities who were no more than a couple of metres away.
     
    He said Collin was behind him near the house, but at no point did he obstruct police before or after the arrest. He insists the only thing he asked was why Collin was being charged.
     
    It wasn't until he went down to the police station that one of the officers accused him of obstruction, but couldn't explain the basis of the accusation.
     
    Without his parents as a surety, Collin Fitzgerald was forced to move out of the area until the breach of bail charge was dealt with.
     
    The Crown is apparently in possession of cellphone tower records and witness statements that show the former soldier, who received the Military Medal of Valour in the Afghan war, was nowhere near the fire on the night in question.
     
    He faces trial in early December.
     
    Ontario's attorney general's office has refused to comment on the case because it remains before the courts.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    UNHCR Says Syrian Refugees Will Be Processed In Canada, Welcomes Commitment

    Syrian refugees being brought to Canada by the Liberal government will only be given temporary residency permits until their cases have been fully processed in Canada, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee says.

    UNHCR Says Syrian Refugees Will Be Processed In Canada, Welcomes Commitment

    RCMP Stymied In Probe Of Parliament Hill Shooter's Winchester Rifle

    RCMP Stymied In Probe Of Parliament Hill Shooter's Winchester Rifle
    The RCMP believes it has "come to a dead end" in its probe of where Parliament Hill shooter Michael Zehaf Bibeau got his gun — one of the most vexing questions about the events of Oct. 22, 2014.

    RCMP Stymied In Probe Of Parliament Hill Shooter's Winchester Rifle

    Ottawa Says Montreal Can Dump 8 Billion Litres Of Sewage Into River If Conditions Met

    Ottawa Says Montreal Can Dump 8 Billion Litres Of Sewage Into River If Conditions Met
    The city must also upgrade its monitoring of the river's water quality before, during and after the discharge and give that data to the Environment Department.

    Ottawa Says Montreal Can Dump 8 Billion Litres Of Sewage Into River If Conditions Met

    US To Ask Canada, UK To Extradite Officials In Cancer Drug Smuggling Case

    US To Ask Canada, UK To Extradite Officials In Cancer Drug Smuggling Case
    Only the one U.S.-based defendant of the 14 named has appeared in two previous court hearings in the case.

    US To Ask Canada, UK To Extradite Officials In Cancer Drug Smuggling Case

    PM Says Bombardier Must Make A Business Case If It Wants Federal Aid

    Trudeau was responding to questions at a closed-door Canadian Labour Congress gathering in Ottawa — the first time a sitting prime minister has addressed the country's biggest labour body in more than 50 years.

    PM Says Bombardier Must Make A Business Case If It Wants Federal Aid

    Federal Health Minister Speaks With Ontario Minister On Health Accord, Refugees

    Federal Health Minister Speaks With Ontario Minister On Health Accord, Refugees
    OTTAWA — Ontario's health minister says he is hopeful the new federal government's approach to the health file will mean a "new era."

    Federal Health Minister Speaks With Ontario Minister On Health Accord, Refugees

    PrevNext