Forgiving, grief themes at Broncos crash sentencing day one

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu locked eyes with Marilyn Cross when she addressed the man responsible for her son’s death.

“Mr. Sidhu, I grieve for you,” she said.

“I am not sure I am yet ready to forgive the choice you made that fateful night … but I don’t hate you.”

All sound ceased in the makeshift courtroom in a large community gym.

Sidhu focused on everything the mother of Mark Cross, an assistant coach with the Humboldt Broncos at the time of his death, was saying.

“When I look at you I see a young man not much older than our son,” she told the 29-year-old semi driver.

“I grieve for the guilt you must carry for the rest of your days.”

Sidhu broke into sobs, reached for tissues and was consoled by his defence counsel with an arm around his shoulder.

Cross was one of over 30 family members and close friends to deliver their victim impact statements on Monday, the first day of Sidhu’s sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty to 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

For her, and many others, forgiveness and grief was a theme.

Before the hearing at Melfort’s Kerry Vickar Centre even began, Tricia Wack – whose son Stephen died in the April 6 crash – knelt beside Sidhu and placed a hand on his shoulder. She had a quiet conversation with him, then smiled slightly before returning to her seat.

Wack wouldn’t disclose what was said, but an op-ed she penned in September stated she forgave the semi driver.

Other parents weren’t ready to absolve Sidhu.

“I have no forgiveness,” said Robin Lukan, mother of Conner Lukan – another crash victim.

“You have destroyed the beautiful family I have worked my entire life to create.”

Lukan had gone to the last Broncos game before the crash, a triple-overtime loss to the Nipawin Hawks in Humboldt. She said she thought about staying in Saskatchewan for the next game, but decided to return to Slave Lake.

She left two days before the collision.

“If I knew what was going to happen, I never would’ve let go of his face,” she said through tears.

Toby Boulet, whose son Logan died 19 hours after the crash and donated his organs to save six other lives, said he’s struggled with anger and can’t bring himself to forgive Sidhu.

“I’ve tried to let the kindness of Logan’s spirit go through me and into the world,” he said.

“I’ve tried so hard.”

Statement of facts show Sidhu didn’t stop, ended up in path of bus

Before the heart-wrenching victim impact statements were read to the court, Crown prosecutors submitted an agreed statement of facts to the judge.

The eight-page document detailed what exactly happened on April 6, 2018, when 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos organization were killed and 13 were injured.

The statement of facts reveals Sidhu’s semi was traveling between 86 and 96 km/h when it entered the intersection at Highways 35 and 335, north of Melfort.

When the truck entered the intersection, it completely blocked the path of the Broncos team bus. Driver Glen Doerksen applied the brakes as soon as he could.

The bus skidded for 24 metres before impact.

“There was no way that Glen Doerksen … could have avoided the collision,” the document states.

Sidhu was not impaired by alcohol or drugs, and he was not distracted by a cellphone.

“The driver of the semi-tractor unit failed to recognize that his vehicle was approaching an intersection and did not stop as required. The actions of Mr. Sidhu while operating the semi-tractor unit caused the collision,” the statement of facts reads.

Logging violations uncovered

In addition to the statement of facts, the complete RCMP traffic reconstruction and crash investigation report was also submitted as a court document.

The lengthy booklet includes photographs of the reconstruction, displaying the sight lines Doerksen and Sidhu would have had leading up to the collision – showing how close the Broncos bus would have been to the intersection before spotting Sidhu’s semi.

It also includes a detailed analysis of logging violations by Sidhu in the days leading up to and including the crash.

Between March 26 and April 6 investigators found 51 federal trucking regulation breaches and 19 provincial breaches for improper logging.

“We have strong concerns regarding the timeline of Jaskirat Singh Sidhu’s day on April 6, 2018 as there are unanswered questions as a result of the incomplete log on that day. The identified mileage and distances required to travel to the locations identified in the log and known locations also cause concerns,” wrote Sean Mustatia, a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Specialist with the government of Saskatchewan.

He also wrote that if the truck had been pulled over, the crash may have never happened.

“If Jaskirat Singh Sidhu had been stopped and inspected on April 6, 2018 prior to the incident, he would have been placed under a 72-hour out of service declaration for failing to produce the current daily log and previous 14 days.”

‘Make the world a better place’

Melissa Doerksen and her family sat through the presentation of facts that showed her father had no chance of avoiding the collision 10 months ago.

She wept beside her mother and siblings as she described how her dad loved to play board games and spend time with others.

“As long as it involved people, he loved to be there,” she said, noting that’s what pointed him to driving a bus.

She said they’re still trying to walk in her father’s footsteps.

“We’re working toward finding understanding and forgiveness, because that’s what my dad would have wanted,” she said.

As for Marilyn Cross, she hopes Jaskirat Singh Sidhu will try to walk in her son’s path.

“In your future, I hope you make every effort to live a productive life doing good wherever you go,” she said.

“Make the world a better place just like our son, Mark, did.”

Sidhu’s sentencing continues Tuesday in Melfort.

Follow reporter Chris Vandenbreekel on Twitter for the latest updates.