Semi driver’s court case adjourned to Jan. 8
MELFORT The case of the Alberta semi driver charged in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash has been adjourned until next year.
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu is charged with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. On Tuesday in Melfort provincial court, Judge Inez Cardinal granted more time for Sidhu, 29, to select his mode of trial.
Sidhu’s lawyer, Satnam Aujla, appeared via phone for Tuesday’s brief hearing, telling court the defence needs more time to go through disclosure received in recent days from the Crown.
Crown prosecutor Thomas Healey, who was present in the courtroom, said the release of the provincial government’s report last week on the crash added more disclosure for both the defence and Crown to review. The case was adjourned until Jan. 8, 2019.
Sidhu has not entered pleas to any of the 29 charges he faces. After attending his initial court date in July, he has not appeared in person for court dates in August, on Oct. 2 and 23, Nov. 27 or Tuesday’s appearance. He is not required to be present in court until a preliminary hearing takes place.
The Crown consented to his release during his first appearance in July, on conditions that he live at a specific address in Calgary.
Defence election is the process in which the accused chooses to have the case heard at either the provincial court level or the Queen’s Bench level.
The truck driver was charged after his semi collided with a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team on April 6 north of Tisdale.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team was heading to Nipawin for a playoff game. Sidhu was returning to Alberta from Carrot River when the vehicles crashed at the intersection of Highways 35 and 335.
The maximum sentence for dangerous driving causing death is 14 years. The maximum for dangerous driving causing bodily harm is 10 years. The RM of Connaught has recently offered a piece of land near the crash site to the Broncos so a permanent memorial can be established.