Charge laid in Ottawa cyclist death

Ottawa police have laid charges against a 41-year-old Ottawa woman with a traffic violation in the death of cyclist Danielle Naçu.

The woman was charged under the Highway Traffic Act for opening her vehicle door improperly. She struck Naçu, 33, who was cycling to work along Queen Street around 9 a.m. ET on October 11.

The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene after the car door knocked her into moving traffic.

The violation, which comes with two demerit points and a $110 fine, is listed under Section 165, (a) as:

• No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on a highway without first taking due precautions to ensure that his or her act will not interfere with the movement of or endanger any other person or vehicle

No criminal charges will be laid

Police say they do not expect criminal charges in this case.

The victim's brother, Brent Naçu, told CBC News the family trusts the decision made by Ottawa police.

"Someone had to be held accountable and whatever happened that day was a violation," he said to reporter Giacomo Panico over the phone from Toronto.

"I guess it's a consolation on some level that what Danielle was doing was in the right."

A ghost bike memorial still sits near where Naçu was killed and it is now hidden behind many bouquets of flowers. Hundreds of cyclists also attended a tribute ride in Naçu's honour October 18, which ran along the downtown road where she died.

Ontario coroner Dr. Dan Cass announced Monday, less than two weeks after Naçu's death, he will investigate an increase in cycling deaths across Ontario during a five-year period from 2006-10.