‘Ottawa’ Matthew Humphreys, Crown Attorney, Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving-Related Charge
An assistant Crown attorney in Ottawa has pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit after a crash on Highway 417 in December of 2015.
Matthew Humphreys, 36, crashed a pickup truck into a parked sign truck on the Queensway near Metcalfe Street around 2:20 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.
At the time, workers were removing construction pylons from the Queensway. No one was injured.
Blood samples collected in the hours following Humphreys’s arrest showed his blood-alcohol level was 200 mg, more than twice the legal limit of 80 mg.
Humphreys was also charged with impaired driving, but that charge was stayed.
‘I’m here to take responsibility’
After pleading guilty Thursday, Humphreys was ordered to pay a $1,400 fine as well as a $430 victim surcharge. He is banned from driving for one year and after that time has to use a breath alcohol ignition lock in order to drive.
“I’m sorry to the road workers, to my friends and family, and to the community. I’m here to take responsibility for my actions,” he told court.
Humphreys underwent 35 days of addiction treatment following the incident, and has regularly attended Alcohol Anonymous meetings.
“My friends and family have been extremely supportive,” Humphreys told the judge.
Future as Crown attorney still unclear
Humphreys has been involved in a number of high-profile cases in his 10 years of work as an assistant Crown attorney in Ottawa.
He prosecuted the case of Sommit Luangpakham, who was convicted of dangerous driving causing bodily harm after he struck five cyclists riding on March Road in July 2009.
Humphreys’s lawyer, James McGillivary, told the court his client is a low risk to re-offend.
“He’s well respected by his colleagues and by the defence bar. This is a one off. The court will not see Matt again in this capacity”
McGillivary also told the court his client’s employment status with the Ottawa Crown attorney has yet to be decided.
In order to avoid a potential conflict of interest, Humphreys’s case was handled by Justice Gregory Regis, a per diem judge from the Ontario Court of Justice visiting from out of town.
The prosecutor for the case was Manoja Moorthy of the Manitoba Prosecution Service.