MURDER SUSPECT IN CAR CRASH
Walked away from wreck day of wife’s death
Further details have emerged about how a Regina man, charged with killing his wife, narrowly escaped death or serious injury in a car wreck the same morning she was found dead.
Jagdish Singh Tehara appeared briefly in Regina provincial court on Tuesday morning by closedcircuit television from the correctional centre — one week after the confused looking 39-year-old first stepped into the prisoner’s dock. As at the first appearance, Legal Aid duty counsel simply adjourned the charge of second-degree murder. The case returns to court June 21.
Seated in the public gallery, two men attending court for the matter politely declined to comment.
Tehara is accused of killing his 38-year-old wife, Sandeep Kaur Tehara. The body of the mother of two was found at the couple’s Upland Drive home, in north Regina, on May 22. Members of the Sikh community who know the couple have told the Leader-Post she was stabbed.
Regina police have said only that officers were sent to the bungalow at 4:23 a.m. to do “a welfare check” — checking on the well-being of the residents. Police have not said what prompted that check.
The Leader-Post has learned that around that same time, Jagdish Tehara’s own life was potentially at risk when the car he was driving collided with a semi-trailer unit just outside of the city.
White Butte RCMP issued a news release early that morning alerting motorists that traffic on the TransCanada Highway was down to one lane westbound because of a collision between a westbound semi and a small passenger car two kilometres west of Balgonie. RCMP learned of the crash at 4:35 a.m., via a 911 call from the trucker.
Describing the crash this week, RCMP Staff Sgt. Gavin Nash, of the White Butte detachment, said the car came off a grid road and slammed into the side of the semi, striking a large saddle tank on the vehicle. He said it was remarkable no one was hurt.
“No injuries — surprisingly enough. If you saw the car, you’d go, ‘Oh my gosh. Is that even possible?’ ” he added.
The driver of the car was walking at the side of the road when paramedics arrived.
Nash confirmed Regina police officers arrived at the scene about an hour after the crash and took the driver of that car into custody.
“I can’t tell you why they took him into custody,” he said. “They had an interest in one of the people that was involved in the collision.”
On Tuesday, Regina police spokesman Les Parker confirmed Tehara was arrested at that collision and placed in the custody of the Regina Police Service at 5:43 a.m. Tehara is not facing any charges in relation to the crash.
Neighbours and acquaintances told the Leader-Post the couple moved to the city about 10 years ago, and Sandeep had recently been on an extended trip back home to India. The couple’s two children are reportedly now in the care of Regina relatives.