Campbell River man pleads guilty to dangerous driving in Americans’ deaths

A Campbell River man has pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing the deaths of two Americans in a head-on collision on the Island Highway four years ago.

On Monday, Kyle Rodney O’Callaghan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Charlotte Van Valkenburg and her cousin Curtis Bartley on Sept. 15, 2019.

He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing bodily harm to Van Valkenburg’s father, Ivan Smith, and dangerous driving causing bodily harm to O’Callaghan’s sisters, Breanne and Kelsey Reid.

O’Callaghan, 34, is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 11. A presentence report will be prepared to assist at the hearing.

Court heard that just before 6 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2019, O’Callaghan was driving his Ford F-150 with his sisters in the truck. O’Callaghan had been drinking earlier that day. A witness saw O’Callaghan pulling onto Highway 19, north of Campbell River, and described his driving as “erratic and concerning.” O’Callaghan continued driving up the highway, where he met a caravan of three vehicles being driven by members of an American family.

O’Callaghan was driving at least 40 kilometres over the speed limit in wet, slippery conditions and lost control of his F-150.

The truck collided head-on with the second car, driven by Bartley, who died immediately.

Van Valkenburg died after being removed from the car. Her father received significant injuries, including fractured ribs, and was airlifted to hospital. The Reid sisters were also badly injured.

Van Valkenburg, who was from Bend, Oregon, was the coach of the robotics team at Summit High School in Bend, and the mother of two children.

Her father and Van Valkenburg’s husband watched Monday’s proceedings from the U.S.

A number of victim impact statements are expected to be read out at O’Callaghan’s sentencing.