The woman accused of driving drunk and causing the massive explosion in London's Old East Village last week is now facing a dozen charges.
London police announced on Thursday that an additional eight charges -- four counts of impaired operation over 80 mg causing bodily harm and four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm -- have been laid against Daniella Alexandra Leis, 23, of Kitchener.
Leis was previously charged with four counts of impaired operation causing bodily harm. A charge of impaired operation of a conveyance exceeding the blood alcohol concentration, laid the day after the explosion, has been withdrawn as it is included in the new charges, police said.
It was around 10:37 p.m. on August 14 when a car, which had been reportedly driving the wrong way on Queens Avenue, crashed into a home at 450 Woodman Ave., severing a gas line. The woman behind the wheel of the vehicle had to be cut from the wreckage.
Just 12 minutes after the collision, the home exploded sending flames into the night sky, debris flying, and led to the evacuation of roughly 100 homes in the area. Four firefighters, two police officers, and one civilian were taken to hospital following the blast. As of Thursday, one firefighter remained in hospital in stable condition. The London Professional Fire Fighters Association is now collecting get well messages from the public for its injured members and their families.
While 450 Woodman was destroyed in the initial explosion, 448 Woodman and 452 Woodman were torn down by crews over the weekend. Financial support and donations of clothing, toiletries, furniture and other household items have poured in since the blast. Over $50,000 raised by the London community is expected to be distributed over the next week to those who lost everything.
Donations continue to be accepted through the Woodman Families Fund account at the Libro Credit Union.
Leis is scheduled to appear in London court in relation to the 12 charges against her on September 4.
