Ottawa man pleads guilty in Orleans explosion
An Ottawa man pleaded guilty for causing an explosion that destroyed several homes, caused more than $5 million in damage and injured 12 people in an Orléans subdivision last winter.
Kody Troy Crosby, 35, pleaded guilty Thursday morning to charges of breaking and entering a dwelling under construction and intentionally causing damage by explosion. The judge sentenced Crosby, who was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, to five years in prison.
Residents woke up to the sound of a massive explosion and fireball at 6:18 a.m. on Feb. 13 in the Avalon Vista neighbourhood. The explosion destroyed four homes under construction, damaged several more and displaced residents of nearly 30 households.
Emergency crews rescued two people from the rubble of the homes, while four people were hospitalized following the explosion.
Ottawa police said Crosby broke into two homes under construction on Blossom Pass Terrace on Sunday, Feb. 12.
According to the agreed statement of facts in the case, Crosby intended to steal the water heaters from the new homes. The court heard that when the two water heaters were stolen from the homes, the natural gas lines were left open and gas started filling the townhomes.
When two sets of contractors arrived at work on Monday, Feb. 13, the natural gas ignited and caused the explosion.
The Ottawa Police Arson Unit led the investigation into the explosion. Crosby was charged in March after investigators used video surveillance footage to identify the suspect.
Minto estimates the explosion caused $5.3 million in damage. Court heard four townhomes under construction were completely destroyed by the explosion, while several damaged homes had to be demolished.
Emergency crews at the scene of an explosion caused by a gas leak at a construction site on Tenth Line Road in Orleans on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (James Fish/CTV Morning Live)
One of the contractors injured in the explosion told the court in a victim impact statement that they now suffer from PTSD and he has fears of returning to work.
During sentencing, Justice Mitch Hoffman said, "the amount of property damage, financial loss is massive. The psychological and emotional impact, in particular from the people who received injuries and those who did not, but had their homes and lives shattered, literally and figuratively, is very significant."
"You have significantly impacted a handful of people who are hurt," Hoffman said. "It is almost miraculous that they didn't lose their life or have long-term permanent injuries."
Crosby did not address the court during the sentencing hearing.
"There is no question that this incident had a tremendous effect on the community at large," Coun. Catherine Kitts said.
"But more specifically those that were injured, those that were adjacent to the blast."
Crosby was initially charged in March with two counts of breaking and entering, four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, four counts of arson causing bodily harm, arson with disregard for human life and arson causing property damage.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Federal government to further limit number of international students
The federal government will be further limiting the number of international students permitted to enter Canada next year. It's the government's latest immigration-related measure to address Canadians' ongoing housing and affordability concerns.
Search for suspect in Kentucky highway shooting ends with discovery of body believed to be his
Authorities say they believe the body of a man suspected of shooting and wounding five people on a Kentucky interstate highway has been found.
Here's why you should get all your vaccines as soon as possible
With all these shots, some Canadians may have questions about the benefit of each vaccine, whether they should get every shot and how often to get them, and if it's safe to get them all at once or if they should space them out.
Bloc MPs will vote confidence in Liberal government next week: Blanchet
The Conservatives' first shot at toppling the Liberal government is likely doomed to fail, after Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters his MPs will vote confidence in the government.
'I'm here for the Porsche': Video shows brazen car theft in Mississauga
Video of a brazen daylight auto theft which shows a suspect running over a victim in a stolen luxury SUV has been released by police west of Toronto.
Exploding electronic devices kill 20, wound 450 in second day of explosions in Lebanon
Lebanon's health ministry said Wednesday that at least 20 people were killed and 450 others wounded by exploding electronic devices in multiple regions of the country. The explosions came a day after an apparent Israeli attack targeting pagers used by Hezbollah killed at least 12 and wounded nearly 3,000.
'It starts off innocent': Manitoba man loses $185,000 to crypto-romance scam
A Manitoba man is warning others after he fell victim to an elaborate online scam over the summer.
Teen faces new charge in Sask. high school arson attack
A 14-year-old student who allegedly set her classmate on fire is facing a new charge.
Quebec woman charged with first-degree murder in death of five-year-old boy
A 29-year-old Quebec woman is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of a five-year-old boy southwest of Montreal.