The trial of a man accused of driving into a Waterloo Regional Police officer took an odd turn Monday, when a witness testified that he, not the accused, may have been behind the wheel.
Jeffrey Woodman, 29, is accused of being the driver who hit Sgt. Eugene Fenton as the 13-year police veteran approached the vehicle with his weapon drawn.
The altercation took place in September 2013, and began with Woodman and two others shoplifting chocolate milk, cheese products and lighters from a Kitchener grocery store by smuggling them out in their pants.
Fenton pursued the trio as they left the store. After calling off a police chase, he caught up with their vehicle again on Sheldon Avenue.
The vehicle then hit Fenton, breaking multiple bones in his body.
Woodman has admitted to being behind the wheel during the initial police chase, but not to still being the driver at the time Fenton was struck.
Tuesday, Kevin Sinson – one of the other men in the vehicle at the time – testified that he was high on heroin during the night in question, had no memory of the events that transpired and may have been behind the wheel himself.
“I don’t remember who was driving and who wasn’t driving,” he said.
Sinson, who is in custody on an unrelated matter, did tell police at the time that Woodman was the driver – but testified that he likely only said so to avoid a return to prison.
