The fate of the man responsible for the deadly Humboldt Broncos crash is now in the hands of a Saskatchewan judge.
After listening to three days of gut-wrenching, heartbreaking victim impact statements from family and friends of the 16 people killed and 13 injured in the April 2018 collision, Judge Inez Cardinal must now decide the appropriate punishment for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu.
It will be a daunting task to deliver a sentence that will appropriately condemn the truck driver’s negligent behaviour and deter others from similar actions.
St. Albertans Chris and Andrea Joseph, whose 20-year-old son Jaxon died in the crash, have implored the judge to hand down a precedent-setting sentence following the unprecedented tragedy.
And we agree a harsh penalty is required to send a strong message that there will be a steep price to pay for not adhering to laws that are in place to protect all drivers.
Handing out the maximum sentence possible – 14 years – to be served concurrently will do that.
The inexperienced semi driver pleaded guilty to 29 counts of dangerous driving earlier this month. At the time, Sidhu’s lawyer said his client wanted to spare the victims’ families more pain.
“Mr. Sidhu advised me: ‘I don’t want to make things any worse. I can’t make things any better, but I certainly don’t want to make them worse by having a trial,’” Mark Brayford said on Jan. 8.
Sidhu’s behaviour in court this week has certainly reflected his remorse. As he listened to each victim impact statement be read into the record, Sidhu looked at every family member who addressed him and wept openly throughout.
It is clear whatever punishment is meted out, Sidhu is already in a prison of his own that he will never be able to escape.
A statement of facts presented to the court this week in Melfort, Sask., included long-awaited details about the horrific collision near Tisdale that shattered many lives and rocked the world. Sidhu blew through a stop sign with a flashing red light. He had passed four other signs indicating that an intersection with a stop sign was ahead.
Police found no evidence the truck driver had used drugs or alcohol or that he'd been distracted by a cellphone. The weather and road conditions were also good.
A Saskatchewan government report was also submitted in court showing the truck driver had 70 violations of federal and provincial trucking regulations and inspection rules over 11 days prior to the crash.
The defence, in its sentencing argument Thursday, told court Sidhu “was in way over his head” and had been distracted by a loose, flapping tarp on his truck. The defence didn’t recommend a specific sentence.
The Crown is seeking a 10-year sentence with a 10-year driving prohibition.
“This was not just an accident, this was a crime. A very serious crime,” prosecutor Thomas Healey told the judge.
While Sidhu took the opportunity to publicly apologize to victims’ families and acknowledge responsibility for the crash, it does not eradicate the need for a sentence that reflects the gravity of the crime.
The collision forever changed Canada’s hockey community. The judge needs to bring down a sentence that will also have a lasting legacy.
