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Charges laid in fatal rollover crash

Incident in March on Sumas Prairie
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A 29-year-old man has been charged in relation to a fatal rollover crash in Abbotsford in March.

A 19-year-old man has been charged in relation to a fatal rollover crash in Abbotsford in March.

Brandon Mitchell James Hayes has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and theft over $5,000.

The crash took place just before 4:30 a.m. on March 10 in the area of Wells Line and Smith Line roads on Sumas Prairie.

Police and other first responders arrived on the scene to find a rolled-over 2003 Toyota Tacoma pickup.

The vehicle had been travelling west on Wells Line Road, veered off the road and through a fence, and came to rest in the front yard of a home.

Two men were still in the vehicle, and one of them, a passenger in the back seat, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The other man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

A 14-year-old girl who had been in the vehicle was found a short distance from the scene and was also transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A third male was located in a nearby outbuilding and was not seriously injured.

Police at the time said the  Toyota Tacoma was confirmed as being stolen from central Abbotsford three days before the crash.

Const. Ian MacDonald described the crash as “pretty catastrophic” and said it was fortunate there had not been more deaths.

Hayes next appears July 16 in Abbotsford provincial court.

He remains in custody, and is also before the courts for a charge of uttering threats the day before the crash. A trial on that matter has been scheduled for Aug. 20 in Abbotsford.

In November 2014, Hayes was convicted of theft of a motor vehicle, theft under $5,000, and breach of his bail conditions in Abbotsford, as well as possession of stolen property and breach of his bail conditions in Golden, B.C. He was sentenced to 45 days in prison followed by 18 months’ probation.

 



Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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