Ontario Mother Questions OPP Officer’s Promotion After Son Was Killed in Speeding Collision

An Ontario mother has questioned the promotion of a provincial police officer who was driving a speeding vehicle that struck and killed her 25-year-old son, saying the development has deepened her family's grief.

Coreena Jones said she struggled to understand why the officer, Rebecca Lindsay, was promoted from detective constable to detective sergeant following the September 2024 collision involving her son, Noah Landriault.

The promotion came with an annual pay increase of about $6,300, while the disciplinary penalty imposed on the officer amounted to 40 hours of forfeited pay, estimated at approximately $2,370.

Son Killed in Muskoka Road Collision

Landriault died on September 29, 2024, after he was struck while crossing Muskoka Road 169 in Bala, Ontario, shortly before 6am.

The unmarked Jeep involved was driven by Lindsay, who was then a detective constable with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

An investigation by Ontario's Special Investigations Unit found that Lindsay was driving about 25 kilometres per hour above the posted 50km/h speed limit in a community safety zone. However, the agency found no grounds to lay criminal charges against her.

According to the investigation, Lindsay said she mistook Landriault and a friend for deer and braked hard when she noticed them, but could not avoid the collision. She stopped and administered first aid until emergency responders arrived.

Jones described her son as the light of her life, saying his death had been the most devastating experience she had ever faced.

Officer Disciplined Over Speeding

After the collision, Jones lodged a complaint with Ontario's Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA).

The agency found that Lindsay committed misconduct by exceeding the speed limit, stating that her driving did not promote employee safety or foster a positive public perception of the police service.

In a disciplinary letter dated March 2026, Lindsay was identified as a detective sergeant and was ordered to forfeit 40 hours of pay.

Jones said the penalty and subsequent promotion had been particularly painful for her family, questioning whether the disciplinary action adequately reflected the consequences of the incident.

OPP Defends Disciplinary Process

Responding to questions from CTV News, the OPP expressed condolences to the family and described the collision as a serious and tragic incident.

The police service said disciplinary action had been imposed in accordance with relevant legislation and noted that Lindsay had been cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

OPP spokesperson Sergeant Joe Brisebois did not directly address concerns about the promotion but said disciplinary records form part of a comprehensive internal assessment during job competitions.

The OPP confirmed that Lindsay was promoted in 2024, meaning the promotion occurred less than three months after Landriault's death and before the misconduct finding. However, the exact date of the promotion and when the process began were not established in the report.

Road Safety Advocate Calls for Accountability

Jess Spieker, a road safety advocate with Friends and Families for Safe Streets, said the OPP should give greater consideration to an officer's safety record when making promotion decisions.

She questioned whether an officer involved in a fatal collision should remain eligible for promotion, arguing that the circumstances should carry significant weight in employment decisions.

The Ontario Provincial Police Association, which represents OPP officers, also expressed condolences but did not directly address the promotion. It said criminal responsibility, professional misconduct and employment decisions are separate processes with different considerations.

Jones said she believes the incident highlights the need to review the OPP's promotion standards, warning that the decision could create a public perception that police officers are not held to the same standards as other members of society.

CTV News