Engineer exhibited disregard, court hears

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. • An engineer charged in the deadly collapse of a shopping mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., showed “wanton and reckless disregard” for the lives of others, a judge heard Tuesday.

Robert Wood pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal negligence causing death and one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm in connection with the June 23, 2012 tragedy. His trial opened in Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday.

Wood, the only person charged in the disaster, had inspected the mall seven weeks before a 40-foot-by-80foot section of the Algo Mall rooftop parking lot collapsed.

Lucie Aylwin, 37, who was working in a lottery kiosk, and her customer, Doloris Perizzolo, 74, were killed. Another person was seriously injured.

Ontario Court Justice Edward Gareau heard an opening statement from the Crown before adjourning the trial for the day to give defence lawyer Robert MacRae time to review new disclosure from the Crown.

Crown attorney Marc Huneault outlined a “road map” of evidence he will present over the expected five-month trial.

Evidence from the recovery of a beam from the collapse will be central to the Crown’s case, he said.

He said prosecutors will present witnesses who will testify about the condition of the mall, the collapse itself and post-collapse that will prove the accused “showed wanton and reckless disregard for the lives and safety of others.”

That evidence includes material from inspections that Wood completed on the mall in both October 2009 and May 2012 — just seven weeks before the deadly incident.

Wood was charged by Ontario Provincial Police in January 2014.

The maximum sentence for criminal negligence causing death is life imprisonment.