Disciplinary hearing for Toronto cop on hold until impaired driving trial ends

Disciplinary proceedings against a high-ranking Toronto Police officer accused of impaired driving in a January crash have been put on hold until his criminal case has ended.

Police prosecutors and defence lawyers representing Supt. Riyaz Hussein agreed to the adjournment in a hearing before the police tribunal Monday.

Hussein, who usually heads the police disciplinary tribunal, was charged with driving with more than 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, careless driving, and having open liquor in a vehicle after a crash on Highway 401 in Pickering.

A notice of hearing released Monday laid out the allegations for his misconduct charges, which relate to the same incident.

Hussein was driving an SUV registered to Toronto Police on the evening of Jan. 13 when he crashed into another vehicle travelling in the same direction.

https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/torontosun/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Riyaz-Hussein-2.jpg?quality="90&strip=all&w=576 2x" height="195" loading="lazy" src="https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/torontosun/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Riyaz-Hussein-2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288" width="195"/>

Supt. Riyaz Hussein, the senior officer in charge of Toronto Police Service’s Disciplinary Hearings Office, faces impaired driving charges after a car crash on Hwy. 401 in Pickering on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022.Photo by Riyaz Hussein /Twitter

An Ontario Provincial Police officer who came to the scene allegedly saw that Hussein was unsteady on his feet to the point where he “almost fell over.”

The document says police officers found an open bottle of Appleton Estate Rum under the driver’s seat of the SUV. Another bottle of the same liquor, this one still sealed, was found on the floor of the front passenger seat, the notice alleges.

The OPP officer suspected Hussein had consumed alcohol, and requested he complete a roadside breath test with a screening device. Hussein allegedly failed the test and was arrested, then taken to hospital to be assessed and treated for various injuries.

About two hours later, hospital staff gave the green light to do a more sophisticated breath test, the document says.

The notice alleges Hussein did two breath tests about 20 minutes apart, and registered 97 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood on both of them.