Trial begins for trucker accused in deadly crash that killed 4 on Laval highway
The trial started Thursday for a truck driver involved in a crash that killed four people on highway 440 three years ago.
The prosecution is focusing on the trucker's mental health and the warning signs over the years.
The crash took place on a sunny, clear day on Aug. 5, 2019, on the highway in Laval when the truck failed to stop and rear-ended several cars at 100 km/h
The driver, Jagmeet Grewal, was arrested and charged with criminal negligence causing death.
In its opening statement, the prosecution said it would base its case on the fact the Grewal should never have been driving a truck in the first place because his trucker permit had been revoked.
The accused lost his Class-1 licence in 2014 after he was involved in a major collision two years earlier. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The prosecution argued in court Thursday that Grewal fought tooth and nail to get his licence back, but it was permanently revoked in 2018 and he took a disability pension.
Yet, later that same year, Grewal tried again to retrieve his licence. The prosecution claimed Quebec's automobile insurance board, the SAAQ, gave it back to him.
It was a clerical error that would have lethal consequences a year later.
An expert working for the SAAQ testified that in 2016, she determined there was no chance Grewal's condition would improve.
A psychiatrist who treated him in 2017 also testified that Grewal's level of anxiety, depression and stress, as well as other psychological issues, made him unfit for any kind of work.
For the relatives of the victims, it's a painful trial that they say reminds them that this tragedy could have been prevented.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Protesters gather at Ottawa City Hall after Israeli flag raised to mark country's national day
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.