Paramedic describes Russell’s final moments at Kachkar murder trial
Posted February 7, 2013 12:35 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A paramedic testifying at the trial of a man accused of killing Toronto police officer with a snowplow says she thought the man was disturbed.
Richard Kachkar, 46, is on trial in the death of Sgt. Ryan Russell, 35, and he has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and dangerous driving.
On Thursday, paramedic Shannon Willis said she got a call at 6:09 a.m. on Jan. 12, 2011, about an officer who had been hit by a plow and about shots fired.
Court has heard that Kachkar drove straight at Russell as the officer fired in vain at the snowplow and Russell was hit and died from head injuries.
Willis says as she approached the scene in an ambulance she saw Kachkar in the plow and he yelled at her about shots being fired and something about the Taliban.
She says her impression was that he was emotionally disturbed, not on drugs or alcohol.
Court has heard that only a trace amount of cannabis was found in Kachkar’s blood system.
The judge has told the jury that there is no dispute that Kachkar was the person driving the snowplow, rather that the case centred around his mental state. The Crown alleges Kachkar meant to kill Russell.
Also on Thursday, Sgt. Timothy Irish, a field investigator, told the court he was at the crime scene on Avenue Road, near Davenport, to collect evidence.
Irish had taken photos of Russell who was already in a body bag. He had been pronounced dead at 6:40 a.m. after CPR was performed with no success.
Russell had “a severe cut” to the right side of his head and several other head injuries, Irish said. He was then transported to the coroner’s.
Irish said the snow on the ground was a problem during his investigation. They used a metal detector and a rake to look for evidence.
Testimony ended early Thursday due to a winter storm, but will continue on Monday.
With files from CityNews.ca
