9 August 2010

Arson-Accused Teen Back in Court

Peterborough Ontario - A 14-year-old Peterborough boy charged with arson in connection with a mid-April bridge fire in East City appeared in court Monday morning (9 Aug 2010).
 
The teen, represented by local lawyer Trevor Burgis of the Peterborough-based firm Moldaver & McFadden, is no longer in custody. He appeared in person before Justice Esther Rosenberg at the Ontario Court of Justice on Simcoe Street.
 
Mr. Burgis told the court he has reviewed the Section 34 report, which is a medical or psychological assessment under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but the Crown needs to review the document further. The matter was put over to 13 Sep 2010 to be spoken to. Crown Attorney Kelly Eberhard told the court the Crown expects the young man will make a plea on that date.
 
The boy is charged with arson in connection with the 13 Apr 2010 bridge fire in East City. The bridge leads over a set of railway tracks near the end of Maria Street leading to Edgewater Boulevard Point.
 
Peterborough fire officials originally estimated the damage at approximately $750,000.
 
The Canadian Pacific Railway owns the wooden bridge over the railway tracks.
 
Back in late June, Breanne Feigel, spokesperson for Canadian Pacific Railway, said the City has signed off on the plan to reconstruct the new bridge. She noted only part of the bridge is being replaced and repairs were underway.
 
"Parts of it [the bridge] were OK. The entire bridge does not need to be replaced, so we're retaining some of the components that weren't affected by the fire," she said.
 
Lauren Gilchrist.