Driver thought he was killing ‘the devil’ in highway crash

Court proceedings have finally concluded following a terrifying head-on crash five years ago near Oliver that was caused by a mentally ill driver who was out to kill “the devil.”

Graham Lamont, 63, has been awarded $177,000 in response to the civil claim he filed against Emil Prat, who instigated the collision around 4 a.m. on Aug. 19, 2016, on Highway 97 between Oliver and Osoyoos.

Details of the crash and the award were spelled out by Justice Neena Sharma in her July 2 decision, which followed a 13-day trial earlier this year in Vancouver.

Court heard Lamont, a local karaoke DJ, was returning home to Oliver from a show at the Sage Pub in Osoyoos when he noticed an oncoming truck in his lane near Road 18.

Despite attempts to avoid the collision, Lamont and his van were pushed by the other vehicle into a tree at the side of the road. The carnage didn’t end there.

Lamont “tried to open the front driver’s door, but it was stuck, so he had to lean back and kick it open. He had started to squeeze himself out of the vehicle, with his right leg in the wheel well, when he heard the sound of (Prat’s) vehicle’s engine and saw the vehicle coming straight towards him. He had to lean back and pull his legs back into the van. (Prat’s) vehicle had intentionally rammed into the driver’s side door of Mr. Lamont’s vehicle.”

Prat’s truck eventually became hung up on a tree, giving Lamont a chance to escape his van and run to the highway for help.

“A short time later, there was a commotion. (Lamont) heard screaming and yelling, and what sounded like multiple people.

“However, he realized it was just (Prat) yelling disturbing statements such as, “You’re the devil!” and “I killed you, but you're still alive!’” continued Sharma.

Lamont claimed the crash resulted in soft-tissue injuries to most of his body, along with post-traumatic stress disorder, and sought a total award of $328,000.

However, the judge determined Lamont exaggerated the extent to which he was affected by some of the injuries and cut the eventual award nearly in half.

Court records show Prat, 69, was subsequently charged with dangerous operation of a motor, but the case was dropped in April 2017 after Prat was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder.

Prat was also found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in connection with a 2004 arson case in New Westminster, according to court records.