Charges stayed against South Asian trucker in crash that killed Surrey Mountie
Charges have been stayed for a South Asian trucker who was involved in a 2012 collision that killed a Surrey RCMP officer.On Nov. 13, 2012 around 5 a.m., Harjit Singh Lotay was driving a 2006 Freightliner semi-trailer on 64th Avenue, near the intersection of 148th Street, while Const. Adrian Johann Oliver was westbound on 64th in his 2010 Crown Victoria police cruiser.
Charges have been stayed for a South Asian trucker who was involved in a 2012 collision that killed a Surrey RCMP officer.On Nov. 13, 2012 around 5 a.m., Harjit Singh Lotay was driving a 2006 Freightliner semi-trailer on 64th Avenue, near the intersection of 148th Street, while Const. Adrian Johann Oliver was westbound on 64th in his 2010 Crown Victoria police cruiser.
The two vehicles collided in the intersection and Oliver, 28, was killed.
Lotay was charged in connection to the crash.
In late 2014, the federal government also filed a lawsuit, seeking general damages, costs, interest and further relief, as well as special damages for the loss of the cruiser.
According to a statement issued Thursday by Lotay's lawyer Brij Mohan, the charges were recently stayed by Crown counsel.
"Mr. Lotay was charged in relation to the collision … and to further compound Lotay's difficulties, he is being currently sued by Canada for the loss of Const. Oliver's police car, and for the cost of equipping a new police vehicle," read the statement.
"Charges. Lotay was facing as a result of this collision have been recently stayed by the Crown prosecution, however the federal lawsuit and Lotay's struggles continue."
Lotay and Mohan are expected to appear outside New Westminster Law Courts on Tuesday morning to speak publicly about the stayed charges.
Oliver had been with the Surrey RCMP for three and a half years. He was survived by his mother, father, and two brothers, one of which is his twin Ben Oliver, who also works as an RCMP officer.