Trial Underway For Suspect In Fatal La Ronge Crash
Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 13:13
More witnesses are expected to be called Wednesday at the trial of a Stony Rapids man accused of impaired driving causing death.
Four witnesses took the stand Tuesday in Prince Albert.
They include Alvin Adam, a co-worker of the suspect, 30-year-old Wilbert Mercredi.
Adam testified it was on August 27th, 2008 when he and Mercredi went out for some drinks in La Ronge.
The two men had just flown back from a mine in the far north.
After meeting at a restaurant, Adam said he and Mercredi went to the trailer of a friend with some other people where they began to drink some more.
He said that when Mercredi went to leave Adam told him not to, because he wasn’t fit to drive.
Under cross-examination, though, Adam acknowledged his memory wasn’t clear on all the details and that he had only known Mercredi for about six months.
It was later that same day 57-year-old Larry Urquhart died after his car collided with a truck at the intersection of Highway 102 and Boardman Street.
Eyewitness Maria Roberts told court she was at the intersection when the accident happened.
Roberts testified she saw a green pickup truck turn into a blue car.
She also said the truck left the southbound lane when the crash happened.
Upon cross-examination, Roberts acknowledged she couldn’t tell exactly how fast either vehicle was travelling.
A mechanic at a nearby business testified he saw a pick-up truck driving at a speed higher than normal in the hours before the fatal crash.
The mechanic also told court that the truck he saw looked like the one involved in the fatal collision, but he couldn’t be sure.
In all, Mercredi faces three charges — including impaired driving causing death, driving with a blood alcohol level above .08 and driving in a manner dangerous to the public.
The trial continues Wednesday.