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Charges not yet laid in May 2014 collision

Crash between Nissan sports car and van carrying several children in Aldergrove was witnessed by many
88319langleyCrashsceneMay6
Police survey the scene of a head-on crash between a white Nissan car and a van that was transporting several children last May.

It’s been eight months and so far no charges have been laid against a 32-year-old Abbotsford man accused of crashing his sports car head-on into a daycare van full of young children in Aldergrove.

Following the May 6, 2014 crash at 264 Street and 56 Avenue (right beside the McDonald’s), the driver of the sports car went to hospital with several broken bones and police got a warrant for his blood. Traffic reconstructionists remained at the scene for hours.

And because of the location and time of day, there were more than two dozen witnesses at the scene.

The delay in this case, say Langley RCMP, is due to waiting for the reports from collision analysts and the lab results for his blood work, which came in a few months ago.

Despite the driver appearing severely intoxicated and going back to the crash scene to grab a 12-pack of beer from his car, blood work indicates the driver was not impaired, said Langley RCMP Cpl. Holly Marks.

But after reviewing the evidence, police expect to recommend a charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. The report hasn’t been filed with Crown yet.

At the time of the crash, it was learned that the man was driving without a licence and his white Nissan had no insurance.

The scenario couldn’t have been worse — a car driving at a high rate of speed runs a red light and slams head on into a daycare van carrying five young children and a mother.

Everyone survived the crash, with all the children checked out in hospital and released. The driver of the van, who is mother to two of the kids inside her van, is expected to make a full recovery, said police.

Many witnesses to the crash at 264 Street and 56 Avenue, just north of Highway 1, who heard sounds of the children’s cries, saw the van driver suffering a seizure on the ground. Many soon found out the driver of the other vehicle walked away from the scene with a 12-pack of beer under his arm, went to the McDonald’s and called a taxi.

A Black Press reporter, who happened on the scene, followed him to the McDonald’s and refused to let him leave before police came.  The stories of how many people stopped to help are remarkable.

Lance Childs posted on The Times’ website at the time that three of his children, aged six and five-year-old twins, were in the van that was struck.

He thanks the “heroes” who comforted his children after the crash.

One woman who stopped at the crash saw how distraught the children of the driver were and, being a grandmother herself, went in and held them, comforting them until paramedics came.

The driver of the daycare van was witnessed to have gotten out, made sure the kids were OK. She then fell to the ground with a seizure.

The accused had broken bones which were caused by the crash. He was bloodied and it looked like a leg bone was poking through his sock at the time he walked to the fast food restaurant.



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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