Family and friends of a Peel Regional Police officer killed in a car crash last week will gather at a Mississauga funeral home today for a visitation service.
Artem "James" Ochakovsky, 36, will be laid to rest on Tuesday with full police honours.
The officer suffered critical injuries after he collided his police cruiser with another vehicle on Airport Road in Brampton. Ochakovsky was on his way to assist another officer in a non-emergency situation.
The father of one succumbed to his injuries in hospital the next day. The 22-year-old driver of the second vehicle was not seriously injured.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Monday's visitation service is being held at the Turner and Porter funeral home in Mississauga from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The police funeral will be held at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Road closures
The funeral is expected to draw a large crowd. Several roads will be closed to traffic to make way for the funeral procession.
Kennedy Road will be closed between Matheson Boulevard and Watline Road. Matheson Boulevard will be closed between McAdam Road and Timberlea Boulevard.
The procession will then head east at Rose Cherry Place and then north to the Hershey Centre. The road closures are expected to last about an hour.
Ochakovsky will be interred at an undisclosed location in a private service.
A trust fund has been set up to help support his family. Donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust branch. Cheque or direct deposits should be made out to "In Trust for the Family of James Ochakovsky." The account number is: 0159-6529108.
People can leave messages of condolence at the Peel Police website or at a number of service facilities.
Ochakovsky's death marks the first time in 25 years that a Peel police officer has died while on duty.
