Stephanie Villella, a seasoned reporter from CTV Kitchener, who suffered grave injuries as a result of a vehicular collision while reporting on an accident just south of Guelph earlier this year, has initiated a lawsuit against the elderly driver responsible for her injury. Additionally implicated in the lawsuit are an unidentified officer of the Guelph Police, the Guelph Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Province itself.
Stephanie and her family are collectively seeking damages to the tune of $15.7 million.
The incident in question unfolded on March 1 at the crossroads of Brock Road and Maltby Road, a location that had been cordoned off by police following a prior accident. The ordeal saw Stephanie being struck by a vehicle driven by a 92-year-old woman. This driver has since been indicted for recklessly endangering life.
Stephanie’s assignment that day was to capture visuals of an unrelated collision between two vehicles on Brock Road that had happened earlier.
The lawsuit, in its statement of claim, states that Villella was within the blockades marking the road closure when the elderly driver’s car inexplicably trespassed the barricade and collided with her.
The lawsuit further implicates the unidentified officer from the Guelph police, accusing them of inadequate security of the accident site, stating that the officer should have been aware that the blockades erected were insufficient. It further states that the officer did not adequately manage the flow of traffic around the accident-prone section of the road.
Moreover, the lawsuit puts forward the contention that the Province of Ontario and the police forces, both provincial and local, are vicariously culpable for the negligent behaviour of the police officer in question. These claims, however, are yet to ascertain legitimacy in court.
As a consequence of the unfortunate event, Stephanie experienced severe injuries, psychological shock, and endured emotional and physical trauma, according to the lawsuit.
The claim further elaborates, “Stephanie’s capacity to work and derive fulfillment from her productivity as a societal contributor and a family member has been irretrievably compromised”, adding that she continues to endure pain, hindering her from performing everyday tasks and participating in recreational, social, household, outdoor, athletic activities – essentially curbing her lifestyle as it once was before the accident.
The lawsuit indicates that Villella has been subjected to financial hardships including substantial healthcare costs, encompassing medications and rehabilitative care. She has also had to endure out-of-pocket expenses for emergency travels and assistive devices among other things. Her family too, has borne the brunt financially, with resultant losses in income and increased travel expenses for her care.
On a concluding note, heartfelt wishes flow incessantly from Stephanie’s colleagues at CTV Kitchener as she bravely soldiers on in her journey towards recovery.
