Iqaluit (June 23/03) - Police have concluded their investigation into the fatal motor vehicle accident on April 12 which claimed the life of a four-year-old girl in Iqaluit.

The young girl, Sheila Mathewsie, was killed instantly when she was hit by a city sewer truck while crossing the street near the 500 block area.

Charges against the driver, Maurice Lachance, have now been laid under Section 126 of Nunavut's Motor Vehicle Act.

The section states that no person shall operate a vehicle in such a condition as is likely to endanger the safety of the driver, a passenger, or the public.

"The inspection showed there were a number of deficiencies with the vehicle, but because this matter is going before the courts I don't want to expand on that," said Cpl. Ed Anderson of the Iqaluit RCMP detachment.

The vehicle driven by Lachance failed an RCMP ordered inspection conducted by the territorial motor vehicle branch.

Ian Fremantle, chief administrator for the city, said the matter has been passed on to city solicitors.

"We had an independent inspection done and it (the sewer truck) did not fail that, so basically it's going to be a court issue," he said. Iqaluit's mayor, John Matthews, told News/North during an interview following the accident that city trucks are inspected on a daily basis. He said the sewer truck in question was believed to be in good condition.

Lachance will make his first appearance in court on July 18 in Iqaluit.

Anyone found guilty of violating Section 126 of Nunavut's Motor Vehicle Act is liable to a fine of up to $5,000 and a maximum jail sentence of six months.