Six criminal charges have been dropped against Saumil Prashantkumar Shah, of St. John’s, who was behind the wheel in a 2019 accident that killed three passengers. engine.
The accused was tried in the Court of Queen’s Bench for three weeks on six counts, three of dangerous driving causing death and three of criminal negligence causing death. Jury selection was due to begin on Saturday, with the trial due to begin on Monday.
However, last week, Saumil Prashantkumar Shah appeared in Moncton Provincial Court, where Crown Attorney Pierrette Allain filed a new charge of negligent driving under the Motor Vehicle Act. Mr. Shah pleaded guilty.
Judge Luc Labonté accepted a joint submission for a fine of $300 plus a compensatory fine of $450. Shah was also sentenced to two years probation and will not be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in New Brunswick during that time. He has six months to pay the fine.
Conflicting accounts of speed
The original six counts were to be tried in the Court of Queen’s Bench. Mr. Shah appeared on Tuesday with his lawyer, Mr. Nathan Gorham.
Judge Robert Dysart said he was aware of the case. Me Allain then confirmed that the six charges should be withdrawn.
Mr Gorham said the plea change shortly before trial is linked to a decision by Judge Dysart linked to an expert report.
Attorney Nathan Gorham said the trial would have heard conflicting expert evidence about the speed of the vehicle Saumil Prashantkumar Shah was driving at the time of the crash. The lawyer indicated that the testimony would have varied the speed of the automobile from 120 km/h up to 185 km/h.
A vehicle in poor condition
Mr. Gorham also indicated that there was evidence that the vehicle his client was driving had problems with acceleration and handling.
The charges stem from an accident on the Trans-Canada Highway in Moncton near the Shediac Road exit at approximately 5:45 p.m. on September 1, 2019. Saumil Prashantkumar Shah was driving a Subaru Outback.
The five passengers in the vehicle were Indian citizens, four of whom were students at the New Brunswick Community College.
Saumil Prashantkumar Shah, a permanent resident, was described at the time as working at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John.
RCMP say two men, both 24, and a third, 29, were thrown from the rear seats and died as a result of the crash. A 25-year-old passenger in the front seat survived.
According to a CBC report
Radio CanadaMartin Leclerc
Source: Radio-Canada
