Investigators look over the scene of a shooting near Seaforth, Ont., that took the life of Ontario Provincial Police Const. Vu Pham. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)

Ontario Provincial Police have charged former township leader Fred Preston with first-degree murder in death of a constable who was killed in a shootout on a rural road in southwestern Ontario.

Preston, 70, was shot several times Monday and remains in critical condition in London's Victoria Hospital, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit said.

Fred Preston, 70, remains in critical condition in a London, Ont., hospital after a shootout that left an OPP officer dead. (backyardstuff.ca)

Monday morning's shootout started when police were called to the North Line in Huron County, near the community of Seaforth, the OPP said. Three officers tried to pull over a pickup truck when they were confronted by an armed man.

Const. Vu Pham, a 15-year OPP veteran, was shot and died later that day in hospital. After Pham was shot, the suspect and officers exchanged gunfire, and witnesses said as many as 20 shots were fired.

The OPP will hold a funeral Friday for Pham and thousands of police officers are expected to attend.

Pham, a married father of three boys, had worked out of the Huron County detachment and had previously served in the Cochrane and West Parry Sound detachments.

He lived in Wingham, Ont., near Seaforth, with his wife Heather and children and was hailed by neighbours and police as an active member of the community who was involved in the local church, youth soccer and minor hockey.

Services have been scheduled at North Huron Wescast Community Complex on Friday at 1 p.m. ET. A visitation will be held Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at McBurney Funeral Home in Wingham.

2 families knew each other

Const. Vu Pham, 37, of the Ontario Provincial Police was fatally shot Monday. (Ontario Provincial Police/Canadian Press)

In a coincidental twist, Pham and the suspect hail from the same area in central Ontario. Pham, who was born in Vietnam, spent his teenage years in the village of Sundridge, where his adoptive family raised him.

Members of Pham's family still live in the area, and his sister Christina Hurrell said they are friends with members of Preston's family. But she said she did not believe the two men knew each other.

Hurrell said the shootings wouldn't affect the friendship between the two families.

"It's unfortunate," said Hurrell. "They didn't have anything to do with it. I don't even hate him … there's just no point."

Neighbours of Preston were in shock at news of the incident and described him as a friendly, polite man who served in local government from the 1990s until 2003 in Joly Township, which lies on the western edge of Algonquin Park.

Residents also said he was an avid hunter and wood carver who used a chainsaw to cut life-size animal carvings from tree stumps.

Marital problems cited

Pat Middlebrook, who owns a café in Joly, said she has known Preston for a few years and described him as a calm, happy guy.

(CBC)

"I'm in total shock," she said.

Sources say Preston's wife left him last fall and moved in with their youngest daughter in southwestern Ontario. Police believe Preston was on his way to see his wife when they say he was pulled over.

The OPP's criminal investigation branch and the SIU, which probes cases of serious injury or death involving police and civilians, are investigating.

With the latest death, 104 OPP officers have been killed in the line of duty since the force was established in 1909.

Under the Criminal Code, the slaying of a police officer is considered first-degree murder regardless of whether it was planned or deliberate. First-degree murder carries a life sentence on conviction with no chance of parole for 25 years.

With files from The Canadian Press