Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
The grieving families of three young men killed in a single-vehicle crash in Wilmer last summer are painfully learning how the legal system works in Canada.
“Every single day since (the incident) has been filled with unbearable grief, pain, and loss,” wrote one of the parents in a Facebook posting on March 10 after another court date for the accused – Haley Watson.
Watson is facing three charges of impaired driving causing death and three charges dangerous driving causing death following a motor vehicle accident on Westside Road on July 9, 2024. Police reported that the vehicle lost control and went down an embankment, killing three male passengers (Gavin Murray, Jackson Freeman, and Brady Tardif).
Watson faces three additional Criminal Code charges including operating a conveyance (causing death) while her blood/alcohol level was equal to or exceeded the legal limit (80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood).
Monday’s courtroom was heavy with emotion as family and friends of the deceased awaited word on how the case was going to be tried (by judge alone or judge and jury). But disappointment set in when none of that information was forthcoming since the case was set over to April 7. Watson did not appear in court.
In another post, the families stated they are respecting the law and support the judge in ensuring the legal process is being followed.
“We will not stop fighting for Brady, Gavin, and Jackson,” one parent wrote.
