Defence election for semi driver in Broncos bus crash adjourned

MELFORT Defence election has been adjourned again for the Alberta semi driver charged in the Humboldt Broncos’ bus crash that killed 16 and injured 13 others in April.

On Tuesday in Melfort provincial court, Judge Inez Cardinal granted more time for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, to select his mode of trial. Sidhu’s lawyer, Satnam Aujla, appeared via conference call for Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted only a few minutes.

Citing the complexities of the case and the amount of time required to move forward, Cardinal adjourned proceedings for another three weeks. Defence election, in which the accused chooses to have the case heard at either the provincial court level or the Queen’s

Bench level, was adjourned until Dec. 18.

Sidhu has not entered pleas to the 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm he faces. After attending his initial court date in July, he has not appeared in person for hearings in August, two in October or the brief date on Tuesday.

The Crown consented to Sidhu’s release during his first appearance in July, on conditions that he live at a specific address in Calgary. He is not required to be present in court until a preliminary hearing takes place.

The truck driver was charged after his semi and a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team collided on April 6. The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team was heading to Nipawin for a playoff game and Sidhu was returning to Alberta from Carrot River when the crash happened north of Tisdale at the intersection of Highways 35 and 335.

Sidhu was arrested on July 6 at his home in Calgary.

The maximum sentence for dangerous driving causing death is 14 years. The maximum for dangerous driving causing bodily harm is 10 years.