Two Brampton Truck Drivers Charged in Fatal Crashes on Highway 401

Published October 27, 2017 at 12:28 am

The OPP has laid charges in three separate transport truck collisions from the summer. The three collisions claims a total of six lives – and two Brampton truck drivers are among those charged.

The OPP has laid charges in three separate transport truck collisions from the summer. The three collisions claims a total of six lives – and two Brampton truck drivers are among those charged.

Baljinder Singh, 56, of Brampton was charged for a crash on Highway 401 near Port Hope on August 3, 2017.  

Manjit Parmar, 52, also of Brampton was charged for a crash on Highway 401 near Chatham/Kent on July 30, 2017.

Finally, Jatheesen Krishnamoorthy, 31, of Scarborough was charged for a crash on Highway 48 near the Town of Georgina.

The crashes mirrored one another, say the OPP.

“In all three incidents, a transport truck travelling on a highway crashed into the back of traffic that was stopped or had slowed down due to road construction or a collision ahead,” said the OPP.

“The collisions resulted in double fatalities that collectively claimed the lives of four men, one woman and a youth who were all occupants in vehicles at the end of the traffic queue. Several other people, including a 10-year-boy, were seriously injured in the crashes.”

Transport truck-related crashes that claim lives are, unfortunately, quite common across the province. According to the OPP, commercial transport trucks can weigh in excess of 60,000 kgs. (132,000 lbs), generating tremendous momentum and energy when travelling at highway speeds of 80 to 105 km/h.

From January 1 to October 15, 2016, the OPP has already responded to over 5,000 transport truck-related crashes – 67 lives were lost in 56 of the crashes.

As for these three crashes that happened over the summer, here are the charges laid:

Singh has been charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing death and two counts of causing death by criminal negligence. He will appear in court on November 29.

Parmar has been charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and three counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm. He appeared in court on October 25.

Krishnamoorthy has been chaged with two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving. He will appear in court on November 3.

“This series of horrific collisions is driver inattention at its worst and the most tragic reminder in recent history of the tremendous toll on the lives of innocent citizens when commercial transport truck drivers are not paying full attention to the road,” Commissioner J.V.N. (Vince) Hawkes, Ontario Provincial Police. “We are putting drivers on notice that the OPP will pursue every investigative avenue following serious collisions and hold at-fault drivers accountable to the full extent of the law.”  

All photos courtesy of the OPP

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