Sarah Mills: We came so close to the zipper merge
Three block of two lanes of traffic merging one by one, with everyone inching forward. It was the zipper merge in action...
Now that charges have been laid in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, those in the community, like many, patiently await the outcome.
On Friday afternoon — exactly three months after the tragedy — the RCMP announced the Calgary semi driver involved in the collision, Jaskirat Sidhu, 29, has been charged with 16 counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and 13 more of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing injury. He’s now in police custody.
Despite many questioning the length of the crash’s investigation, Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench said most of the community is fine with the wait.
“They want to make sure the investigation was done properly, and everything was handled properly and transparently,” Muench told 980 CJME on Saturday.
However, he noted the upcoming court case won’t be easy for many as it’ll be a way of “reliving” the tragedy.
“People were kind of settling into the summer here, getting kind of a diversion from everything and, I think now, it’s going to be brought back to the forefront once again,” Muench explained.
Though, he added, learning the name and the charges associated to the collision is, for many, a way of propelling the healing process.
“Looking forward, I think people are going to sort of sit back and wait and see how things progress (in court) and put their faith in the justice system to take its course.”
The RCMP wouldn’t answer any questions regarding specifics around the crash on Friday. It was noted it would compromise evidence, which is now before the courts.
Sidhu will make his first court appearance at a provincial court in Saskatchewan next week.
