SURREY – An Indo-Canadian driver who was involved in a 2010 car accident that killed his passenger was fined $2000.
Hardeep Gill, who is still at a loss to explain how he ran a red light and caused a fatal car crash, was sentenced Wednesday in B.C. Provincial Court in Surrey after pleading guilty to one count of driving without due care and attention.
On April 30, 2010, around 5:30 a.m., Gill was driving to work after picking up a co-worker.
He drove down 88th Avenue to Fraser Highway, where he drove through a red light and collided with a Ford F350 pickup, reported the Province newspaper.
Gill’s 62-year-old passenger died. Gill suffered minor injuries and the driver of the truck was not hurt.
“This was a catastrophic collision,” Crown prosecutor James Lees said. “The vehicle was crushed.”
Lees said it’s possible Gill was talking with his passenger and didn’t notice that the traffic light was red.
Because of inadvertent negligence, Lees said, a person died.
“There’s no explanation other than he wasn’t paying proper attention,” Lees said.
Lees recommended that Judge Harvey Field impose a $1,500 fine on Gill.
Defence lawyer Amandeep Sangehera suggested a lower fine.
Sanghera said Gill is a young man with a young family and has no criminal or driving record.
Since the crash, Gill has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and he feels extremely guilty about what happened.
“He doesn’t have an explanation,” Sanghera said.
Aside from the $2,000 fine, Gill will also lose six points off his licence and the matter will be reviewed by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, who will decide if a driving prohibition is appropriate.
