CTV Kitchener reporter seriously injured while covering crash files $15.7 million lawsuit

A CTV Kitchener reporter who was struck and seriously injured while covering a crash south of Guelph earlier this year has filed a lawsuit against the driver who hit her, an unnamed Guelph police officer, the Guelph Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and the province.

Stephanie Villella and her family are suing for a collective $15.7 million in damages.

On March 1, Villella was at the intersection of Brock Road and Maltby Road, which had been closed and barricaded by police, when she was hit by a 92-year-old woman driving a sedan. The driver has since been charged with careless driving.

Villella had been gathering images of a separate two-vehicle crash that happened on Brock Road earlier in the day.

According to the lawsuit’s statement of claim, Villella was standing within the road-closed barricade when, without warning, the driver’s car passed through the barricade and struck her.

The statement of claim alleges the Guelph police officer failed to properly secure the roadway and ought to have known the barricades erected were not sufficient. It also says he failed to properly direct traffic around the barricaded section of the roadway.

The lawsuit alleges the province of Ontario, the Guelph Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police are vicariously liable for the negligence of the officer. None of these claims have been proven in court.

Villella sustained extreme injuries, nervous shock, emotional and physical trauma, the lawsuit says.

“Stephanie’s ability to work and enjoy the fulfillment obtained from being productive and a contributing member of society and her family has been permanently impaired,” the statement of claim says.

“Stephanie sustained and will continue to sustain pain and suffering such that she is unable to perform her activities of daily living and is unable to participate in those recreational, social, household, outdoor, athletic, and employment activities to the extent to which she participated in such activities prior to the collision.”

It goes on to say, as a result of the crash, Villella has suffered, and will continue to suffer, a loss of income and a loss of career path. It also says she has incurred health care expenses, including for medication, rehabilitation and personal care, and she has paid out of pocket for emergency travel, personal devices and other expenses. Villella's family has also incurred travel expenses and lost income as a result of providing services to her, it says.

Editor’s note: The thoughts of the CTV Kitchener team continue to be with Stephanie and her family as she works towards her recovery.