‘About time’: Charge laid in fatal Delta farm vehicle crash after investigation reviewed – BC | 24CA News
The driver of a farm car concerned in a deadly collision on Highway 17A has been charged after considerations from the sufferer’s household led the Delta Police Department to hunt an impartial overview of their investigation.
“It’s good to know that there’s finally some accountability being taken in the death of our mom,” stated Norm Sherry, the sufferer’s son.
Sherry’s 77-year-old mom Joan was killed when her Nissan collided with the again of a sluggish transferring farm car on a darkish part of the route on October 1, 2021.
At the time, the bean harvester owned by BC Frozen Foods was working with no taillights, no flashing crimson mild, no large load signage and no crimson flags.
Sherry filed a freedom of data request, and obtained a redacted copy of the Delta police report on the deadly collision.
It revealed a mechanical inspection discovered the farm car “was in no condition to be on the road,” and was transferring slower than regular on account of a transmission subject.
”The firm allowed the car onto a high-speed freeway, regardless of realizing the transmission was not correctly working,” the report said.
After an intensive investigation which included consulting Crown counsel, the Delta Police Department initially knowledgeable Sherry the proof collected didn’t meet the brink for legal expenses, and no report was submitted to Crown counsel.
Instead, Delta police stated enforcement motion was taken underneath the Motor Vehicle Act with $304 in complete fines issued to the corporate and driver.
“To basically be told by the Delta Police Department that it’s a $304 fine and that’s it, was just devastating,” Sherry instructed Global News in an interview Tuesday.
After Sherry shared his considerations with Global News in August 2022, the Delta Police Department requested the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) Traffic Division conduct an impartial overview of the investigation.
The VPD overview, in accordance with Acting Insp. James Sandberg of Delta Police, validated his division’s investigative actions, however “recommended that based on the evidence gathered that a report should be forwarded to Crown counsel for charge assessment.”
Delta police then ready a report and submitted it to prosecutors for cost consideration.
On July 18, one rely of harmful driving inflicting loss of life was authorised towards Jasdeep Singh Sandhu, 26.
“It’s about time,” Sherry stated.
“This is something that should have happened a year-and-a-half ago during the initial investigation. We’ve had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way.”
Delta Police declined an interview, saying the matter is now earlier than the courts.
Sandhu is scheduled to seem in Surrey Provincial Court on Aug. 8.
“It means everything to us, I mean it doesn’t bring our mother back but … it kind of brings our hopes back that there is some justice,” Sherry instructed Global News.
Sherry stated searching for justice and accountability in his mom’s loss of life has been one of many hardest battles he and his sister have ever confronted.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. It’s the most horrible experience that our family’s ever gone through,” Sherry stated.
“If we can save one life so that a family doesn’t have to go through this, then at least it’s a bit of a light in the darkness for us.”
Global News reached out to the farm car’s proprietor, Mission-based BC Frozen Foods, however didn’t obtain a response by deadline.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
