Impaired driving charges laid in death of 5-year-old boy in Big River

Two people from Big River, Sask. have been charged after a fatal crash in the town claimed the life of a five-year-old boy.

The child was riding his bicycle Tuesday night when he was hit by a vehicle on a stretch of Highway 55 near Big River, located 132 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.

On Thursday, RCMP said Stephen Lalonde, 43, had been charged with impaired driving – allegedly being over the legal drinking limit – causing death, dangerous driving causing death and failure to stop and remain at the scene.

Additionally, LaLonde faces three counts of breaching a court order.

The Big River man made his first court appearance in Prince Albert Thursday.

Sharon McMahon, 50, was also charged in connection to the crash with failing to stop and remain at the scene. McMahon was released before a Justice of the Peace and will attend court in Big River at a future date.

The fatal collision happened less than 30 feet from Big River Mayor Robert Buckingham’s driveway.

“We just heard a loud bang, and then when we saw the ambulance show up there, we went out there to check it out,” he said.

Buckingham said when he approached the crash scene, the young boy was lying on the ground, not moving.

“The first responders or the paramedics were working on him when we got to the scene and then they took him away, and they were still giving him CPR as they took him away,” he said.

The boy would be pronounced dead in hospital.

Buckingham said during his term as mayor, there have been discussions with RCMP regarding the safety of Highway 55, which runs right through the middle of the town.

“There is lots of large truck traffic since the forest industry has picked up, and we have lots of that type of traffic going through town and it is a very busy stretch of highway,” he said.

Buckingham added Big River has also had issues with illegal parking on the road, reducing visibility. He did not think, however, these concerns applied in this case.

The vehicle that hit the boy did not stop and was located by police at a business in the community. Two people, a man and a woman, were taken into custody.