Crown seeking three years for heavily armed man

Weapons found after highway crash

Prosecutors are suggesting a three-year prison sentence for a man who was found to be wearing a bandolier of shotgun shells and keeping a sawed-off shotgun under his car seat when he crashed on Highway 3.

Satvir Singh, now 23, was the driver of the dark Lexus sedan involved in a head-on collision with a Volkswagen vehicle in south Windsor on the morning of April 26, 2017.

Emergency responders at the scene found the ammunition on Singh’s person — more than two dozen 20-gauge shells — and the shotgun in a shoebox under the driver’s seat.

A second man in the passenger seat of the Lexus was also found to be armed: Hidden in his track pants was a semi-automatic rifle, equipped with a folding stock, laser sight, pistol grip, and loaded 19-round magazine. In November, Singh pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon, carrying a prohibited weapon in a careless manner, and possessing a prohibited firearm with ammunition.

The passenger, Tariq Elamin, is being tried separately. Speaking in court on Monday, Singh’s lawyer Maria Carroccia noted that her client has no prior criminal record, lives with his mother, and is now employed full-time.

According to Carroccia, Singh is remorseful about the incident, and he considers it a “wake-up call” to improve his behaviour.

The defence has suggested a “reformatory ” sentence of 18 months to two years.

Singh is not currently being held. After the crash on April 26, 2017, he spent 15 days in custody — including time in hospital being treated for a broken arm.

The Crown said the accused was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

Singh has been scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 23.

The court has not heard where the Lexus was heading and there has been no explanation as to why the two accused were armed.