The Humboldt Broncos pose after a big win in 2018. A few weeks later the team bus got hit by a semi-truck that ran a stop sign, killing 16 people and injuring 13 others. The driver of the truck pleaded guilty to spare the families a trial. Photo by Humboldt Broncos/Twitter
Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The driver of a big rig that hit a bus full of junior hockey players in April pleaded guilty to 29 counts of dangerous driving causing death or bodily harm Tuesday in Canadian court.
The Humboldt Broncos hockey team was traveling to Saskatchewan for a playoff game on April 6 when the driver of a semi truck failed to yield at a stop sign and hit the bus. The crash killed 16 people and injured 13 more. Of the dead, 10 were hockey players between the ages of 16 and 21. The crash also killed the bus driver, athletic therapist, the head coach, an assistant coach and two employees of Humboldt's FM radio station.
The driver was identified as Jaskirat Singh Sidhu.
"I just want to plead guilty; I don't want you to plea bargain; I don't want a trial," attorney Mark Brayford said his client told him. "Mr. Sidhu advised me, I don't want to make things any worse. I can't make things any better, but I certainly don't want to make them worse by having a trial."
Parents of the deceased and injured teammates were relieved to hear his guilty plea.
"All I've ever told my kids is speaking about accountability and responsibility and to hear him use his own words to plead guilty, it's powerful," said Scott Thomas, whose 18-year-old son, Evan, was killed in the crash. "Now we can more forward with the next part of this."
Michelle Straschnitzki, whose son Ryan was paralyzed in the accident, said the guilty plea means they won't have to go through a trial but she's concerned that he'll get a lighter sentence.
Brayford said his client is devastated by the grief that he's caused the families.
"And he's overwhelmed by the expressions of sympathy and kindness that some of the families and players have expressed to him in spite of the fact their grief is entirely his fault," Brayford said.
Sentencing will begin Jan. 28 and could take up to five days. The sentencing hearing will include victim impact statements.
The crash occurred 18.5 miles north of Tisdale on Highway 35 as the Broncos were on the way to Nipawin.
