Former police officer pleads guilty, but not to charges being dealt with at trial

A former Chatham-Kent police officer entered two guilty pleas in a Chatham court on Tuesday, but not to the charges for which she was on trial.

The initial charges of dangerous driving and criminal negligence causing bodily harm for which Cristelle Vanden Enden was on trial ended up being dismissed. However, the 47-year-old Chatham woman pleaded guilty to careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act and a criminal charge of failing to comply with an undertaking.

Court heard a resolution in the case was reached before the third day of her trial began.

Previous testimony dealt with Vanden Enden having consumed fentanyl at a Chatham home on Jan. 9, 2021 before driving his vehicle over Thomas Ray Morgan, causing a serious injury to his arm and other parts of his body.

When the trial resumed Tuesday, the careless driving and failing to comply charges were brought before the court.

Noting the offense date for the careless driving charge is the same as the other charges being dealt with during the trial; the lawyer for the Crown, Andrew Telford-Keogh, said on that date Vanden Enden drove her vehicle on a highway after consuming fentanyl, which was careless.

It was heard in previous testimony Vanden Enden drove someone to Thamesville and back after dropping Morgan off at his aunt’s house.

Telford-Keogh also told the court on Jan. 6, 2021, Vanden Enden was released on an undertaking with conditions that included she not communicate with two men.

On Jan. 8, 2021, he said Chatham-Kent police were dispatched to Vanden Enden’s residence for a disturbance.

Vanden Enden answered the door and told officers she was alone and offered to let them check her unit, Telford-Keogh said. Knocking was heard at Vanden Enden’s back door while police were there and when the door was opened, one of the men with whom she was not communicating was there, he added.

The Crown said the man advised police he was there after making arrangements with Vanden Enden to drop off her car keys. Officers also learned from witnesses the man had been in and out of her apartment and in her presence several times that date, he said.

Justice Marnie Vickerd found Vanden Enden guilty on both charges.

The judge received some background on Vanden Enden’s situation from her lawyer Jim Dean.

“Unfortunately, as a result of a number of issues Cristelle developed a very significant opiate addiction,” Dean said.

The lawyer recounted Vanden Enden’s journey into addiction as a combination of traumatic things she’s seen as a police officer, being sexually assaulted by a former colleague, and other family members suffering from an opiate addiction. He also noted Vanden Enden was involved in a serious motor vehicle crash while on duty and was prescribed opioid medication for pain.

He said his client is relieved to be putting this behind her, adding, “Never in a million years did she think she’d be in this position.”

Vanden Enden previously spent four months in jail before being released on bail. However, her sentence will not see her return to custody. She received a $2,000 fine and two years of probation for the careless driving charge. She was also fined $200 for the breach charge.

Dean said Vanden Enden went straight from jail into a 90-day rehabilitation treatment. This was followed by other residential rehabilitation programs, he said.

“She has managed to get herself completely free of the drugs,” Dean said. “She’s a completely different woman now.”

When given the opportunity by Justice Vickerd to address the court, Vanden Enden said, “My life is completely different today than it was then.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to live the life I was meant to,” she said.

Vanden Enden also expressed remorse, noting, “There’s regret all the time for the mistakes and choices that I made.”

Vickerd said she trusts Vanden Enden “truly does regret her actions every single day.”

The judge said a mitigating factor was that Vanden Enden already served four months in custody.

“That’s certainly a big step to go from police officer to an inmate.”

She added it was obviously a life-changing event for Vanden Enden.

Vickerd said Vanden Enden has taken responsibility for behavior and is taking steps to change her life. The judge also credited her for the work she has done and continues to do with her rehabilitation.

Vanden Enden told the judge she’s happy and would like to start a new career.

“Moving forward is just exactly where I want to be.”