Truck driver pleads guilty in Humboldt Broncos crash

The semi driver at the centre of the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy pleaded guilty in Melfort provincial court Tuesday morning, with his lawyer saying the reason for his plea is that he didn’t want to make anything harder on families by having a trial.

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, appeared in Melfort Provincial Court Tuesday and entered the guilty plea to all 29 charges in the crash that killed 16 people and injured 13 others

He was charged on July 6 with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing injury, after a three-month investigation by RCMP. The maximum sentence for these crimes is 14 years for causing death and 10 for causing injury.

Sidhu declined to comment directly to the media, but stood beside his defence lawyer Mark Brayford outside court following the guilty plea.

“His position to me was he wanted to plead guilty, ‘I don’t want you to plea bargain, I don’t want a trial.’ Mr. Sidhu advised me, ‘ I don’t want to make things any worse. I can’t make them any better but I certainly don’t want to make them any worse by having a trial,'” Brayford said on behalf of his client.

Brayford added that Sidhu wanted the families to know that he’s devastated by the grief that he has caused and he is overwhelmed by the expressions of sympathy and kindness some of the families and players have given him in spite of the fact that their grief is “entirely his fault.”

Defence lawyer Mark Brayford and Jaskirat Singh Sidhu standing outside the courthouse. Brayford sais Sidhu didn't want to make things worse, crash is his fault. #HumboldtBroncos #sask pic.twitter.com/CwmuJpUHpu

— Chris Vandenbreekel (@Vandecision) January 8, 2019

Sidhu will remain free until his sentencing hearing which is scheduled to begin on Jan. 28. The presiding judge said an alternative venue may be found within Melfort to accommodate the victims’ families.

The bus had the right of way when it collided with the semi Sidhu was driving at the intersection of Highways 3 and 335 north of Tisdale on April 6, 2018. The junior hockey team was on its way to a playoff game when tragedy struck: 10 young hockey players were killed in the crash along with the head coach, assistant coach, bus driver, play-by-play radio announcer, the team’s statistician and athletic therapist. Thirteen other players were injured.  The crash sparked a wave of response and support from around the world.

Scott Thomas’s son Evan was one of the players killed in the crash and was in the courtroom as Sidhu entered his plea.

Outside the courthouse, Thomas said he felt closure when the driver said the word “guilty” and the sentence doesn’t matter to him personally.

Scott Thomas says he could feel Sidhu's remorse in the courtroom. Says he has his closure, punishment doesn't matter, even if it's only one day behind bars. #Sask #HumboldtBroncos pic.twitter.com/8dBE4gTiFI

— Chris Vandenbreekel (@Vandecision) January 8, 2019

“If he spends a day –  if he spends 10 years time is irrelevant. He was guilty, he acknowledged that. That’s all I needed to hear,” Thomas said. “The rest of the sentence doesn’t matter to me, it’s not going to bring Evan back.”

He said he will have to spend the rest of his life without his son, and the driver will have to spend the rest of his life living with the guilt for that.

The Humbodlt Broncos organization also released a statement expressing relief that there will be no need for a trial in the case and thanking Sidhu for taking responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty. In a news release, Broncos President Jamie Brockman described the guilty pleas as a “positive step in the healing process” for survivors, grieving families, the team and the town.

“I commend Mr. Sidhu for taking responsibility for his actions and sparing the survivors and families the anguish and turmoil of rehashing this tragedy in court,” Brockman said. “I know Mr. Sidhu has also been deeply affected by this tragedy. His careless actions will haunt him for the rest of his life and I’m sure it is a relief to move forward.”

650 CKOM Reporter Chris Vandenbreekel reporting from Melfort.