Gurjit Dhillon, 28, is charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death 83-year-old Pritam Benning. Police have still yet to identify the driver of the second car, and previously announced they had exhausted all possible avenues of investigation.
SURREY – The trial of an Indo-Canadian street racer who killed an elderly man from his own community began this week in Surrey
Gurjit Dhillon, 28, is charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death 83-year-old Pritam Benning, who was killed after Dhillon lost control of his black Corvette and smashed into Benning who was waiting for a bus.
Crown prosecutor Christopher McPherson said in his opening statement that a number of civilian witnesses will testify about what happened the evening of Sept. 17, 2009.
Around 6 p.m. Dhillon, driving a black Corvette, and a yellow Corvette were stopped at the intersection of 128th Street and 72nd Avenue in Surrey.
When the light changed the vehicles began moving south on 128th Street.
About 10 to 20 metres past the intersection, Dhillon’s Corvette clipped a Honda Accord and spun out of control.
The car mounted the curb and collided with a bus stop bench where Benning was sitting.
“Benning is essentially thrown up into the air,” McPherson said.
His legs were essentially severed at the knee. A large crowd, including Dhillon, gathered to help Benning.
Benning was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he died five days later.
It has been admitted that Dhillon was driving the car that killed Benning. At issue is whether he was racing or driving dangerously at the time of the crash.
McPherson said the Crown is alleging that Dhillon accelerated his Corvette very quickly when the light changed at the intersection, the car began to spin out and he lost control as he tried to change lanes, clipping the Honda.
Police have still yet to identify the driver of the second car, and previously announced they had exhausted all possible avenues of investigation.
“There is a lot of anger,” the victim’s son, Manjit Benning told CBC. “It’s hard to lose a parent and it’s even harder to lose them like that.”
Manjit Benning said the family is hoping to get answers this week for their the devastating loss of their father.
“It’s never easy to lose anybody, and to lose them this way – it’s unbelievable,” Benning’s wife Gurby said.
The victim’s son Manjit described his father as a hardworking, dedicated family man. He and other members of the victim’s family spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, saying they are hoping for tougher sentence but don’t have much hope in the justice system.
“With all the sentences that have been handed out lately, we’re not expecting too much,” he said.
Despite having tougher street-racing laws implemented several years ago, 40 people have faced such charges since 2008. RCMP Sergeant Pierre Lemaitre says these cases often involve men between the ages of 20 and 25, racing “for the thrill of it,” reported News 1130.
“In 2008, we had eight [charged], in 2009 we had 15, in 2010 we were down to 12, and in 2011 we were down to five,” he outlines.
A trial is underway for a driver who was allegedly street racing when he struck and killed an 83-year-old man at a bus stop in Surrey almost three years ago.
Gurjit Singh Dhillon, 28, appeared in provincial court Wednesday on a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death for the Sept. 17, 2009 crash.
The Crown alleges Dhillon was racing his black Corvette against a yellow Corvette near 72nd Avenue and 127th Street when he lost control, jumped a curb and hit the bench where victim Pritam Benning was sitting.
The senior’s legs were severed below the knees, and he died in hospital five days later.
The court heard Wednesday that Dhillon stayed at the scene, called 911 and tried to help Benning after the accident.
