Canada’s attorney general has filed a civil suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court against driver Harjit Lotay, alleging Lotay made a negligent driving move that caused his vehicle to cross directly into the path of the oncoming RCMP vehicle that killed Const. Adrian Oliver in November 2012.
VANCOUVER – An Indo-Canadian trucker is being sued by Canada’s attorney general after for being involved in a crash that killed a Surrey, B.C. Mountie.
The civil suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court claims driver Harjit Lotay made a negligent driving move that caused his vehicle to cross directly into the path of the oncoming RCMP vehicle.
Const. Adrian Oliver died in November 2012 when his unmarked police cruiser slammed into a semi-tractor at an intersection in the city southeast of Vancouver.
RCMP said at the time the 28-year-old officer was attempting to locate a stolen pick-up just before the early-morning crash and did not have his emergency lights on.
The suit seeks special damages from Lotay and his employer Heaven Transport for loss of the police car, as well as expenses relating to fitting up a replacement vehicle for policing purposes.
“As a further consequence of the collision, the RCMP vehicle suffered extensive damage and was rendered non-repairable,” the Statement of Claim states. “The Government of Canada has suffered the loss of use of the RCMP vehicle, special damages relating to the loss of the RCMP vehicle, and expenses relating to the fitting up a new vehicle for its replacement use for RCMP policing purposes.”
Allegations include that Lotay drove without due care, failed to yield the right of way to the RCMP vehicle and was driving while in some way impaired, but no claims have been proven in court.
None of the allegations made in the Statement of Claim have been proven in court.
A Statement of Defense has not yet been filed by Lotay.
