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The Sûreté du Québec officer who was involved in a fatal collision that claimed the life of a 5-year-old boy was formally charged at the Longueuil courthouse Friday.

Patrick Ouellet is facing a charge of dangerous driving causing death in the Feb. 13, 2014 car crash that led to the death of Nicolas Thorne-Belance.

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Ouellet was driving 108 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when his unmarked black Toyota slammed into a Kia driven by Nicolas’s father, Mike Belance, as he was making a left turn on Gaétan-Boucher Blvd. in the St-Hubert borough of Longueuil. The Toyota struck the right side of the car, where Nicolas was seated. The officer’s car had no lights or sirens going to indicate an emergency.

Ouellet was reportedly working on a surveillance team that was following Robert Parent, the former director of the Quebec Liberal Party, during an investigation by Quebec’s UPAC anti-corruption police unit.

Ouellet was not present on Friday and will not be at the next court appearance, scheduled for Sept. 10, according to his lawyer. The accused doesn’t have to appear in court during this stage of the procedures and can designate his lawyer, Nadine Touma, to represent him in future discussions before the court, according to Crown spokesperson Jean-Pascal Boucher.

Lawyers will probably set the dates of a preliminary hearing on Sept. 10, Boucher said.

The victim’s family was at the courthouse, but refused to speak to the media.

The charges against Ouellet came after a six-month independent review ordered by Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée and led by ad hoc prosecutor Lucie Joncas. Crown prosecutors had previously decided not to lay charges in the case.

Ouellet has been suspended with pay pending the trial, in accordance with the collective agreement for SQ officers.

If convicted, he faces a maximum 14-year sentence.